Former Alberta CMOH appointed to public health leadership role in B.C. | 24CA News

Alberta’s former chief medical officer of well being (CMOH) will tackle a brand new position as a deputy provincial well being officer in B.C.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw is on a six-month contract, in keeping with a press release from B.C.’s provincial well being officer (PHO) Dr. Bonnie Henry on Wednesday.

“In her new role, Dr. Hinshaw will support the work of the office of the PHO,” mentioned Henry.

1:47Alberta replaces chief medical officer of well being Deena Hinshaw with Mark Joffe

Hinshaw held the CMOH place from January 2019 till November 2022 when she was eliminated by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

Hinshaw was Alberta’s CMOH for the complete period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her management typically got here below fireplace, notably when she supported lifting nearly all public well being restrictions associated to COVID-19 in the summertime of 2021, which was adopted by a large wave of coronavirus infections within the province.

Hinshaw argued the choice to carry nearly all restrictions — a transfer the province later backtracked on earlier than finally lifting restrictions once more — was based mostly on the truth that COVID-19 couldn’t be eradicated so it was time for Albertans to be taught to reside with the illness.

At the time, she mentioned eliminating isolation necessities, asymptomatic testing and call tracing would enable the province to concentrate on different well being threats, together with the opioid deaths and syphilis.

While some Albertans had been crucial of Hinshaw when she supported the lifting of public well being measures, others voiced opposition to her when she introduced in or expressed assist for restrictions associated to COVID-19.

Dr. Andrew Larder, who has beforehand served as a medical well being officer at each Fraser and Interior Health, will even be part of the provincial well being management crew “over the next several months.”

“The toxic drug crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing responses to heat, wildfires and outbreaks have shown just how critically important the work we do in public health is in supporting and protecting people and communities throughout B.C.,” mentioned Henry.

“I feel very fortunate to work alongside such talented and dedicated public health experts and I know their expertise will be a great assistance as we emerge from the pandemic and continue to address the many public health challenges facing the province.”

– With recordsdata from Phil Heidenreich, Global News

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