“We need real action,” NDP calls for Ford Government to combat measles outbreak

HAMILTON -- Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Addictions with responsibility for Primary Care Dr. Robin Lennox (Hamilton Centre) calls on the Ford Government to increase access to vaccines and invest in the delivery of essential care to address the wide spread of measles.

“This is the first time in decades that congenital measles is an issue in Ontario and an infected newborn has tragically passed away. We cannot wait for more children’s lives to be put at risk before we take real action. While measles is highly contagious, it is also highly preventable,” Dr. Lennox said.

“The Minister of Health responded to the NDP’s call for a plan to address the measles outbreak by pointing to memos they sent in 2023. But those memos from 2 years ago won't help the crisis we are in right now.

We must recommit to ensuring all people in Ontario – including those who are uninsured – can access preventative care including vaccines.”

Dr. Lennox is calling on the government to use novel strategies to:

• Build trust in communities and raise awareness about the safety and effectiveness of the measles vaccine;
• Establish vaccine ambassador programs that would increase vaccine uptake in harder-to-reach communities;
• Move to a provincial electronic vaccine registry that would help us know who is most vulnerable and where to direct our resources;
• Fund public health units to help them deliver essential care more effectively, particularly in times of outbreak

BACKGROUND:

• Ontario’s chief medical officer of health says six infants have been born with congenital measles since an outbreak began last fall, adding they were infected in the womb through mothers who were not vaccinated.
• Congenital measles can result in severe complications, including inflammation of the brain and death.
• Health officials have reported more than 2,000 measles cases in the province since the outbreak began in October.