Canada needs a new vision for health at the federal level, writes Dr. Paul Hebert, Editor-in-Chief, CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) and Matthew Stanbrook, Deputy Editor, in an editorial http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/doi/10.1503/cmaj.101207 published today.
While provinces and territories are responsible for the day-to-day delivery of health services, the federal government has a role to play in setting priorities, ensuring accountability and enforcing laws along with collecting taxes to fund health care.
This lack of vision and leadership affects our ability to protect public health and to adequately support our public health systems.
"The renegotiation of the 2002-04 health accord ending in 2014 provides an ideal leadership opportunity," state the authors. They call for sufficient resources to support national health institutions and systems, up-to-date legislation to protect Canadians' health, evidence-based health care, a national pharmacare and home care strategy and more.
Heavy drinkers who cut back see major heart health benefits, study finds