Statement by the Prime Minister on World Health Day

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on World Health Day:

“Today, we celebrate World Health Day. We mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization and we renew our commitment to ensuring access to high-quality and inclusive health care for all Canadians.

“Canada’s universal public health system is a pillar of our national identity. For decades, it has provided Canadians the assurance they can get the care they need, whenever and wherever they need it. But this system has been under enormous strain in recent years. Hospitals are operating at full capacity, patients are unable to get a family doctor, and health care workers are overworked. That is unacceptable, and it’s why we’re making transformative investments to improve health care.

“We’ve committed close to $200 billion over the next decade to help provinces and territories support the health care needs of Canadians. We have reached bilateral agreements with all provinces and territories, squarely focused on making health care work better. This funding will help deliver improved access to family doctors, reduced wait times, more health care workers, stronger mental health care services, and targeted health services in Northern and Indigenous communities. And through our Aging with Dignity agreements, we’re improving home, community, and long-term care for seniors.

“In December of last year, we announced the Canadian Dental Care Plan – a transformative investment for families across the country to get the dental care they need. The plan removes financial barriers to dental health care for millions of uninsured Canadians. More than a million seniors are eligible to start getting dental health benefits as early as May of this year.

“Last February, we also took another major step by introducing the Pharmacare Act and paving the way toward national universal pharmacare in Canada. The Bill outlines our commitment to work with provinces and territories to ensure that Canadians have the coverage they need for their medications. For millions of Canadians, this means better access to contraceptives and control over their reproductive health, lower risks of complications from diabetes, and quality care, without worrying about the cost.

“For millions of people around the world, health care is increasingly threatened by conflict, diseases, food insecurity, and climate change. This year’s World Health Day theme – ‘My health, my right’ – reminds us that health care is essential. That’s why Canada is a leader in addressing health disparities and improving access to essential, life-saving care for people around the world. Under our 10-Year Commitment to Global Health and Rights, Canada has been increasing international assistance for global health to an average of $1.4 billion each year, including approximately $700 million to advance comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights. This funding helps deliver crucial health services to millions of people in countries around the world who would otherwise not have this access to care.

“When we invest in our health care systems, we invest in our people, in our communities, and in our future. On World Health Day, let us recommit to building a country – and a world – where everyone has access to safe and high-quality health care.”