Paediatric Environmental Health Section
C. Robin Walker, MD,
Section President
The CPS Paediatric Environmental Health Section recently held a full-day strategy forming session with the support of the Vulnerable Populations Office of Health Canada . Those present included the section executive, CPS and Health Canada staff, and representatives of several national organizations with whom the section expects to partner with in the future.
The morning allowed each organization an opportunity to educate us on its PEH specific activities with discussion of why Canadian health professionals in their daily contact with patients did not seem to have a consistent PEH approach to common paediatric conditions. Lack of awareness, individual time with the patient, and education were suggested as contributory factors. The discussions included an exploration of some of the most important gaps in education and policy in paediatric environmental health which in the afternoon were prioritized, based principally on how the new Section might best contribute to their resolution. Education and advocacy were noted to be particularly important roles for the new Section. The need for surveillance to establish the burden of environmentally related concerns in Canada was also addressed.
The section executive will now work with CPS staff to move the resulting action plan forward; meanwhile we express our grateful thanks to Health Canada for making this day possible.
Please note that a first opportunity for CPS members and others to be educated on important environmental health issues for children and youth will come during the CPS Annual Conference in Ottawa , June 23-27. The section will host an educational half-day the morning of June 23, so register now and plan to come early!
All input most welcome!!
Posted: April 2009
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