Report a `scathing indictment' of public health agency

OTTAWA • Canada’s Public Health Agency was significantly understaffed to deal with COVID-19 and has struggled to get the people and expertise in place to deal with the pandemic, according to a recently released internal report.

A “lessons learned” report from the agency written in September was released in response to a call for documents from Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner. It details that the agency, which is overseeing Canada's response, did not have the key people in place.

“The agency did not have the breadth and depth of human resources required to support an emergency response of this never-seenbefore magnitude, complexity and duration,” reads the report, which was first reported on by the Globe and Mail.

The Public Health Agency of Canada was created in the wake of the SARS crisis, as a dedicated and separate body under Health Canada.

It was initially designed to give independent advice on health threats, like pandemics.

The internal report done by auditors within the agency, found it didn't have the key people and expertise during this crisis.

“Management noted multiple capacity and skills gaps across the agency. Primarily, most noted limited public health expertise, including epidemiologists, psychologists, behavioural scientists and physicians at senior levels.”

NDP MP Don Davies said it paints a deeply troubling picture of the agency.

“I don't expect perfection and there can be deficiencies here and there. I think that's to be expected, but this is a scathing indictment of an agency that is comprehensively understaffed and underprepared.”

The report highlights that a lack of long-term funding means the agency is pulling staff from other departments, but can't make long-term commitments making it difficult to hire. It also highlights that people at the agency are beginning to burnout.

“It was noted that staffing challenges are exacerbated by the inability to offer individuals indeterminate positions, particular those from outside of government, due to the limited availability of long-term funding.”

The agency is particularly short on people with experience in emergency management and communications, two vital roles during the pandemic.

The report mentions concerns about Dr. Theresa Tam, the chief public health officer (CPHO), who didn't have the necessary support and had to perform work that should have fallen to other staff.

“It is widely known that the CPHO worked seven days a week, and up to 20 hours a day, to prepare for the following day. This is problematic and unsustainable on multiple levels, and was enhanced by the other considerable pressures on her office.”

Asked about the report in Question Period, Health Minister Patty Hajdu said the government would ensure the agency had what it needed.

“I want to thank Dr. Tam for her excellent leadership during this time. I will also thank the Public Health Agency of Canada employees who have worked so hard on behalf of Canadians,” she said. “We will continue to spare nothing to ensure the agency has what it needs to continue to deliver for Canadians.”

Hajdu's department said the report had led to changes, but declined to specify what those were.

“Findings from the report have already resulted in enhancements in the management of the response and will inform future strategic planning activities and policy decisions for PHAC, along with other audits, evaluations and further lessons learned from the response to COVID-19.”

Davies said there is no indication the government has dealt with these problems.

“It's very clear and more troubling that many of these deficiencies are still present today”

He said the government should be looking to retool the agency into something with much more scientific expertise and that work should begin right away.

“Canadians expect their national public health agency to be operating well and there's clearly a chronic long-standing slide into deficiency by this agency.”

In addition to overworking staff at the agency however, the shortage has had other consequences.

The government was criticized early in the pandemic for not having staff at airports and border crossing to deal with potentially infected travellers.

The report reveals that is because the agency had quarantine officers working with border officials remotely from Ottawa and didn't have enough when the time came.