MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –
Source: Government of Canada – in French 2
On March 24, we mark World Tuberculosis Day, which is an annual campaign to raise awareness of the health, social and economic consequences of tuberculosis. This day is also an opportunity to intensify efforts to end the tuberculosis epidemic, both in Canada and globally. The theme for World TB Day 2024 is once again: “Yes! We can end TB! “.
Although tuberculosis is preventable and curable, it remains one of the most common and deadly infectious diseases in the world. Canada is a country with a low incidence of tuberculosis, but Indigenous people (among whom Inuit are most affected) and people born outside of Canada are over-represented among people with active tuberculosis. In 2022, more than 1,900 people in Canada will be diagnosed with active tuberculosis.
The Government of Canada is committed to working with partners and stakeholders, with a focus on mobilizing and involving people with lived experience of tuberculosis, to identify concrete, collaborative, multi-sectoral measures to eradicate the disease. tuberculosis across Canada. For First Nations, Inuit and Métis, this includes focusing on Indigenous-led solutions to address health inequities and social determinants of health. Social determinants include crowded housing, food insecurity, poverty, and barriers to culturally competent health care. By supporting and collaborating with Indigenous organizations, health authorities, First Nations communities, and provincial and territorial governments, we are committed to advancing our goals of eradicating tuberculosis in Inuit Nunangat by 2030 and across the country by 2035. But that’s not all. Internationally, Canada is the sixth largest donor to Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria since its creation.
Finding, treating and supporting people with TB infection or active TB is essential to stop the spread of the disease. To this end, the Government of Canada provides nursing, medical, epidemiological, operational and laboratory support for TB outbreak response and offers community-wide testing in First Nations and Inuit communities. We recently collaborated with the Government of Nunavut And Nunavut Tunngavik inc. (in English only) as part of a community-based tuberculosis screening operation in Pangnirtung, Nunavut. These efforts led to the screening of 94% of the target population. A similar collaboration is currently underway to coordinate another community screening in Naujaat, Nunavut. Field activities are expected to begin in mid-April and continue until the end of May.
We also fund vital tuberculosis research through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). CIHR supports the tuberculosis prevention work of Dr. Gonzalo Alvarez and the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute through the Taima TB Initiative. In collaboration with front-line health care providers, nurses, government officials and Nunavut Inuit communities, Dr. Alvarez and his team are leading a new study on wastewater in Iqaluit. The study will evaluate the use of wastewater surveillance to detect tuberculosis earlier and more accurately and to help prevent its spread in communities.
We are dedicated to this important work so that everyone has equitable access to health care, while upholding human rights, promoting gender equality and fostering an inclusive health system free of discrimination. This includes improving access to tuberculosis prevention services, care and treatment, and reducing stigma and discrimination.
By fostering concerted action to address the risk factors underlying TB and ensuring our interventions are based on science, community knowledge and best practices, we can end TB!
Visit the page Canada.ca/tuberculosis to learn more about tuberculosis.
The Honorable Mark Holland, PC, MPMinister of Health
The Honorable Patty Hajdu, PC, MPMinister of Indigenous Services Canada
The Honorable Dan Vandal, PC, MPMinister of Northern Affairs, PrairiesCan and CanNor
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
