Roles & Responsibilities During a Pandemic
An influenza pandemic would have a profound impact throughout Ontario, so it is critical that the roles and responsibilities in managing the pandemic be clearly defined.Provincial Overview
- Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) is responsible for provincial management of infectious disease outbreaks, including an influenza pandemic.
- The CMOH is supported by the Provincial Infectious Disease Advisory Committee (PIDAC), which provides advice on required prevention, surveillance and control measures.
- To strengthen its response to a wide range of emergencies, the province has adopted the Incident Management System (IMS). The IMS is a system which allows providers to manage operations and exchange information in an emergency situation. IMS provides the operational framework for emergency management across government ministries.
- Early in a pandemic the CMOH and other senior management would provide direction and guidance for operational management of the pandemic to the health care sector through the Ministry Emergency Operations Centre (MEOC).
- The MEOC is supported by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s (MOHLTC) Emergency Management Unit and would be responsible for working closely with health stakeholders to implement measures to minimize the impact of an influenza pandemic.
- The MEOC would provide updated communications messages and operational guidance based on the most current epidemiological information.
- The MEOC will be linked to the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre, at Emergency Management Ontario (EMO), as part of a broader effort to coordinate the provincial emergency response in sectors outside of health.
- The MOHTLC is also linked at the federal level to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), including the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response.
- The MOHLTC is linked at the local level to local public health units.
Government of Canada
- Liaise with the World Health Organization, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and/or other national/international organizations and communicate back to provinces via national CMOH teleconferences or other fora.
- Set and communicate standards for surveillance, investigation and vaccine activities among provincial/territorial jurisdictions.
- Implement national pandemic communications strategy.
Government of Ontario
- MOHLTC to implement surveillance, investigation and vaccine standards developed by Public Health Agency of Canada.
- MOHLTC to assist local public health authorities in surveillance and vaccine administration and ensure compliance with adopted standards to achieve consistency across the province.
- MOHLTC to liaise with EMO, Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (MCSCS) and other federal, provincial, territorial communications counterparts to implement pandemic communications strategy.
- EMO to liaise with other ministries and municipalities to support the activities of the MOHLTC and provide provincial coordination of emergency response outside the health sector.
- Ministries to liaise with their relevant stakeholders to ensure proper precautions are being taken.
Municipal Government and Local Public Health Authorities
- Local public health authorities to implement surveillance and outbreak control measures consistent with provincial guidance
- Local public health authorities to deliver mass prophylaxis/vaccination program
- Municipal government and local public health authorities to communicate with the Government of Ontario
- Municipal government and local public health authorities to communicate with health care facilities, emergency responders regarding provincial guidance on health services delivery, outbreak management and other issues
For more information
www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/emu/emu_mn.html
Or call toll free:
Health Care Provider’s Hotline 1-866-212-2272
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