A child health charter for Canada.

• Date: 01 January 2009
• Author: Collins-Nakai, Ruth

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Canada's children are being shortchanged! While the country as a whole prospers and is lauded by international organizations as an outstanding place in which to live, the health of Canada's children is slipping when compared to children in many other developed nations.

Canada's infant mortality rate has dropped from 5th to 21St out of 30 Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) nations over the past two decades. This is often attributed to First Nations infant mortality rates, which are twice the rate of Canada as a whole. (1) But when the rankings of other countries with aboriginal peoples are considered Canada drops further, as our aboriginal peoples have fared less well than those in other countries.

Canada now ranks 22nd among 29 OECD nations when it comes to preventable childhood injuries and deaths, 27th (and rising) in childhood obesity, and 21st in child well being, including mental health. Overall, Canada only ranked 12th out of 21 wealthy countries in the United Nations' rankings of child well-being. (2) Nearly one child in six lives in poverty in Canada.

This can impact a child's growth, development, his or her physical and mental health, and ultimately the ability to succeed as teenagers and adults. Canada should not be at the bottom of the list of developed countries when it comes to spending, as a percentage of GDP, on early childhood programs and development.

As physicians, we see the adverse effects of poor child health all too often and we strongly believe that all children should have access to the best possible start in life. As a result, in December 2005, Child Health--with a particular focus on the early years (under age five)--was identified by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) Board of Directors as a strategic policy focus for the organization.

At the same time, following a broad consultation process, Canada established national public health goals. The first of these public health goals articulates that "Canada is a country where our children reach their full potential, growing up happy, healthy, confident and secure."

A short time later, the Canadian Paediatric Society and the College of Family Physicians of Canada joined forces with the CMA to form the nidus for a pan-Canadian Child Health Initiative (CHI). This culminated in 2007 with a Child Health Summit where a Child and Youth Health Charter was developed (see www.cma.ca). Making children a national priority...