Skills enhancement: strengthening public health practice in Canada.

Public health in Canada has recently had intense media attention related to such threats as SARS, avian flu, a potential flu pandemic, contaminated drinking water in Walkerton, Ontario, and North Battleford, Saskatchewan, and preventable chronic conditions including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.These issues have highlighted the importance of public health and the need to strengthen the Canadian public health system.There are resounding calls for a renewal of public health in order to build capacity in the Canadian public health workforce (Underwood, 2004). In addition to the concerns expressed in the mass media and in policy reports, federal/provincial/territorial committees and professional organizations are recommending a strengthening of public health systems locally, provincially, and nationally (Campbell, 2004; National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health, 2003; Ontario Expert Panel on SARS and Infectious Disease Control, 2004). The Public Health Agency of Canada has been established to strengthen the system nationally. Fundamental to the development of public health capacity is an adequate supply of public health professionals with the knowledge, skills, abilities, and supports to do their jobs (National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health; Underwood). As a leader in public health, the Public Health Agency of Canada, through its online continuing education program, Skills Enhancement for Public Health, offers public health practitioners across Canada an opportunity to develop the skills necessary to carry out effective public health and health surveillance.The application of these skills will result in sound evidence-based decision-making and planning to protect and maintain the health of the public.