Ontario’s chief medical officer is advocating for a national vaccination schedule and registry to address gaps highlighted by the resurgence of measles in Canada. Dr. Kieran Moore emphasized the need for a centralized digital vaccine system within Ontario before implementing a nationwide approach.
In his recent annual report presented to the provincial legislature, Dr. Moore stressed the necessity of a unified strategy involving all levels of government and the healthcare sector to combat vaccine-preventable diseases amidst increasing vaccine hesitancy. While each province and territory currently maintains its own immunization schedule and data system, health experts have long pushed for a nationwide vaccine registry, with the Canadian Paediatric Society echoing this sentiment since 1997.
Dr. Moore pointed out that Ontario lags behind other provinces, such as British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia, which have modernized their vaccine record-keeping systems. The fragmented approach in Ontario has resulted in confusion for parents tasked with managing vaccination records, hindering public health officials’ ability to identify coverage gaps and disparities in access, thereby complicating outbreak responses.
Furthermore, the decentralized system has impeded the monitoring of vaccine efficacy and safety, critical factors given the doubling of parental skepticism towards routine immunizations in Canada between 2019 and 2024. Childhood vaccination rates have also plummeted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Vinita Dubey, Toronto’s associate medical officer of health, highlighted the outdated immunization process in her jurisdiction. Parents are responsible for maintaining their children’s vaccination records, submitting them to public school boards in Toronto, where the data is manually entered into the city’s system, leading to inefficiencies and outdated practices.
To address these challenges, the Public Health Agency of Canada is collaborating with provinces and territories to integrate existing immunization registries and establish a surveillance mechanism for vaccine coverage. As of October 2024, six regions, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Yukon, have already submitted vaccine records to the federal government.
Ontario currently operates three distinct data systems for storing vaccine records, which include records for schools and childcare centers, COVID-19 vaccinations, and medical billing claims. Efforts are underway to integrate these systems to provide patients with digital tools for accessing their health information, including vaccination records.
Dr. Moore underscored the importance of a national vaccine schedule not only for public health reasons but also for economic benefits. Centralized procurement could lead to cost reductions through bulk purchasing, eliminate duplicate vaccinations, and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, streamlining the healthcare process.
