Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors
Holly Dressel Speaks at 78th Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI) National Conference
“Public health officials may be unaware of their own critical role in defending health in the future,” says environmental advocate Holly Dressel. Speaking at the 78th Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI) national conference, she warned many global factors are shifting heightened importance onto public health. There are only a few tools to protect against infection and disease, and if some are lost the only ones remaining will be those in the hands of health protection officials.
“We are facing the gradual loss of antibiotics, emerging diseases, the migration of viruses and parasites into new parts of the world,” she said. “So think about it: if you don’t have antibiotics, all you have is inspection.” Dressel added that the public “doesn’t yet understand how good the Canadian public health system is from an international perspective,” but also pointed out that there is room for improvement as well.
Holly Dressel is a well-known author, who has co-written three books with David Suzuki, and is author of Who Killed The Queen?: The Death of a Community Hospital and How to Save Public Health Care. She is an adjunct professor at the McGill School of the Environment.
The 78th Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors national conference on environmental health and infection prevention and control brings together roughly 300 health inspectors from across Canada.
For a complete breakdown of this year’s conference program please click here.
Media Contact:
Drew Ferguson
Grey Bruce Health Unit
519-377-5242
d.ferguson@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca
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