Global Public Health Intelligence Network

The Global Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN) is an electronic public health early warning system developed by Canada's Public Health Agency, and is part of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). This system monitors internet media, such as news wires and websites, in nine languages in order to help detect and report potential disease or other health threats around the world.[1] The system has been credited with detecting early signs of the 2009 swine flu pandemic in Mexico, Zika in West Africa, H5N1 in Iran, MERS and Ebola.

The system came to greater public awareness after it was revealed that Canada's Federal Government effectively shut it down in May 2019, ultimately preventing the system from providing an early warning of COVID-19. In August 2020, the system began issuing alerts again.

History
"[In 2018], the WHO praised the operation as “the foundation” of a global pandemic early warning system."

–The Globe and Mail[2]

Ronald St. John, then a government epidemiologist, created GPHIN in 1994 as a way to improve Canada's intelligence surrounding outbreaks.[3] After the 2003 SARS outbreak, the system became central to Canada's pandemic preparedness.[4] The system is Canada's major contribution to the World Health Organization (WHO), which credited the system with supplying 20 per cent of its "epidemiological intelligence."[4] The system detected early signs of the 2009 swine flu pandemic in Mexico, Zika in West Africa, H5N1 in Iran, MERS and Ebola.[2][4]

2019–2020 Silence

A July 2020 investigation by The Globe and Mail revealed that Canada's Federal Government effectively shutdown GPHIN in May 2019, ultimately preventing the system from providing an early warning of COVID-19 which originated in Wuhan, China. After the government directed for a more domestic focus, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) assigned employees to different tasks in the department.[2] In August 2020, more than 400 days after going silent, the system began issuing alerts again.[5]

In early 2020 before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, scientists at PHAC "were told to focus on official information coming out of China, rather than unofficial intelligence. Some said they struggled to convey urgent information up the chain of command."[3] Internal PHAC emails obtained by The Globe indicate that Sally Thornton, vice-president of the Health Security Infrastructure Branch, and Jim Harris, director-general of the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, oversaw the decision that curtailed alerts.[6]

Following The Globe and Mail's report, Canada's Auditor-General began an investigation into why the program was curtailed.[7] In September 2020, Canada's Health Minister Patty Hajdu ordered an independent federal review to look into both the shutdown of the system along with allegations that some scientist's voices were marginalized.[4] Former national security adviser Margaret Bloodworth; former deputy chief public health officer Paul Gully; and Mylaine Breton, Canada Research Chair in Clinical Governance on Primary Health Care led Hajdu's review.[8][9] Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam announced her support of the review,[10] while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued blame to funding cuts made prior to 2015 by the previous Conservative government under Stephen Harper.[11]

Management

Public Health Agency of Canada's (PHAC) Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response (CEPR) manages GPHIN.[12][6] Jim Harris is director-general CEPR.[6]

In September 2020, Brigitte Diogo replaced Sally Thornton as vice-president of the Health Security Infrastructure Branch, the division overseeing GPHIN among other operations.[13]

See also

References
  1. "Global Public Health Intelligence Network, Public Health Agency of Canada, November 2004". Archived from the original on 2007-03-14. Retrieved 2007-06-07.
  2. Robertson, Grant (July 25, 2020). "'Without early warning you can't have early response': How Canada's world-class pandemic alert system failed". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  3. Robertson, Grant (January 28, 2021). "Biden eyes early warning system similar to the one Canada curtailed". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  4. Robertson, Grant (September 7, 2020). "Health Minister orders review of pandemic warning system, concerns raised by scientists". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  5. Robertson, Grant (August 13, 2020). "Canada's international pandemic alert back in action, more than 400 days after falling silent". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  6. Robertson, Grant (October 5, 2020). "Ending Canada's pandemic alert system was a mistake, internal government e-mails show". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  7. Robertson, Grant (July 30, 2020). "Auditor-General to probe lapse in Canada's pandemic warning system". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  8. Robertson, Grant (November 18, 2020). "Ottawa names three experts to review breakdown of pandemic early warning system". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  9. Rabson, Mia (18 November 2020). "Security, health experts to lead review of pandemic warning system". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  10. Robertson, Grant (September 8, 2020). "Theresa Tam supports federal review into Canada's pandemic early warning system". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  11. Robertson, Grant; Kirkup, Kristy (October 14, 2020). "Trudeau blames cuts under Harper for Public Health Agency's ills". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  12. "About - GPHIN". gphin.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  13. Robertson, Grant (September 15, 2020). "Ottawa appoints new management to 'strengthen' pandemic surveillance system". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 15 September 2020.

Further reading
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