Thank you, Minister. And thank you, Madam Chair, for the invitation to speak before the committee today.
As the minister mentioned, the H1N1 flu virus has presented some challenges that we had not faced before.
One of our key messages during the response has been acknowledged as truly our best defence.
To build on the minister's remarks, I'll divide my comments this afternoon in terms of how we're getting information in, through cooperation with our partners, and how we're getting information out to the public.
First, in terms of information in, sharing information and cooperation between jurisdictions enables us to learn a bit more every day about how the virus behaves and spreads. This morning, as you know, the minister announced that the Public Health Agency of Canada has mobilized public health officials, intensive care specialists, and medical experts from Canada and abroad to share and discuss best practices for clinical care of severe H1N1 cases. That meeting will take place in Winnipeg on September 2 and 3. The meeting offers an opportunity for public health officials and critical care specialists to gain insights into the epidemiology of severe H1 disease, to discuss strategies for prevention and early recognition of severe disease, and to share best practices for clinical care, disease management, and resource utilization. This will assist us all in managing the anticipated fall pandemic wave.
I cannot emphasize enough how critical the strong collaborative working relationships we have established with our public health partners—domestic and international—has been to our overall response.
For example, early on in the outbreak, the Government of Canada established with its provincial and territorial partners the special advisory committee on the H1N1 flu virus, SAC. It is made up of chief medical officers of health, such as me and others, as well as other senior public health officials, and it has a network of committees under it. Its mandate is to provide policy and technical advice to the federal, provincial, and territorial deputy ministers of health, where I sit, on public health matters related to the H1N1 flu virus outbreak. This committee has been crucial to the management of the H1N1 outbreak response. I believe this collaborative effort, along with the many activities that are under way, has ensured Canada's place as a leader in public health management of the international H1N1 response.
I'd also like to discuss the many efforts under way in the agency to get information out--that is, about how we are getting information to the public. As the minister indicated, our communication efforts have been intense since the outset of the flu outbreak. On a weekly basis, the Public Health Agency receives an average of 50 to 70 H1N1-related media calls, resulting in hundreds of stories and media interviews. As of today, more than 20 national news conferences have been held and webcast.
To give you an example of the thirst for information, 1.8 million visits have been made to the H1N1 web pages on the FAQ website between April and August. We are also giving out information directly to thousands of Canadians through our 1-800 toll-free telephone line.
The Public Health Agency is committed to providing Canadians with the information they need to make appropriate decisions related to the H1N1 flu virus to protect themselves and their families. This includes communicating with at-risk populations, such as pregnant women.
In early May, the agency launched a comprehensive marketing strategy, which the minister referred to earlier. I can assure you that extensive planning is under way to continue this marketing effort into the fall and through the flu season. Our continuing goal is to raise awareness and knowledge so that individuals and families, regardless of whether they are living in a remote community or a major city, feel they have the best information readily available to them so they will know what to do in any given situation.
In closing, I would like to remind the Committee that, as Chief Public Health Officer, I have maintained a consistent public presence through all of these developments.
My top priority has been, and will continue to be, to ensure that the Public Health Agency is in a constant state of readiness for the fall.
I've been working diligently, as have many, many others, on everything from issues of vaccine supply to guidance documents, to maintaining close consultation with our domestic, international, and myriad other partners to make this happen. Canadians need to have all appropriate knowledge about self-care, family care, immunization, and pandemic preparedness should a severe second wave of the H1N1 pandemic occur during the 2009-10 flu season.
Information in and information out: these are critical to our readiness for the fall. I believe that together we are succeeding.
Thank you, Madam Chair. That concludes my remarks. Merci.