Have Your Say on Amendments to the Disease Surveillance Regulations

Public Service Announcement

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is proposing amendments to the Disease Surveillance Regulations to create additional registers, as well as update the Schedules and reporting requirements for reportable diseases, conditions, and tests.

These amendments reflect best practice and will assist the Department of Health and Social Services in dealing with emerging diseases in a timely manner to ensure the health of residents is protected.

Proposed changes will:

  • Add a Chronic Disease Register and make a broader Cancer Screening Register to help with identifying, tracking, and forecasting population health concerns. This will allow for effective resourcing, evidence-based policies, and programs to meet federal reporting requirements. 
  • Update the reportable diseases, conditions and tests outlined in the Schedules to reflect current best practices.
  • Remove the requirement for researchers to apply directly to the Chief Public Health Officer for access to health information. It is now the GNWT Research Coordinator who takes the request.
  • Collection of information now includes mandatory reporting on:
    • sex assigned at birth, to account for predetermined risk factors that are based off one’s genetic characteristics; and
    • any potential communicable disease or condition that is not considered reportable under the usual regulations, or if the disease or condition is occurring in a cluster or outbreak and has presented itself with unusual signs or symptoms.
  • Updated language to be gender neutral.

Residents and stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on the proposed amendments by visiting https://haveyoursay.nwt-tno.ca/amendments-to-the-disease-surveillance-regulations. The Government of the Northwest Territories will be accepting input until September 3, 2023.
Amendments to the Disease Surveillance Regulations are anticipated to come into force on December 1, 2023.

 

For media requests, please contact:

Jeremy Bird

Manager, Communications

Health and Social Services

Government of the Northwest Territories

Jeremy_Bird@gov.nt.ca 

(867) 767-9052 ext. 49034