Addictions, kids’ health top priorities for Chatham-Kent’s new top doc

Addictions and children’s health are top priorities, Chatham-Kent’s new top doctor says.

Shanker Nesathurai was named the area’s new medical officer of health by CK Public Health Sept. 5, after a long recruiting process. He started working the same day.

Nesathurai replaces David Colby, who announced his retirement last year, but remained on an acting basis until a permanent replacement was found.

Nesathurai will also serve on acting basis under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, pending approval by Ontario’s health minister.

“The mission of the public health services is that everyone in Chatham-Kent has the opportunity to reach optimal health and a high quality of life,” he said in a release.

“There are many priorities ahead, but this mission will guide us in formulating public health promotion and prevention programs.”

Nesathurai, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist with a medical degree from McMaster University and a master’s public health from Harvard, was Haldimand-Norfolk’s medical officer of health from 2018-21. Most recently, he was acting top doctor with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.

Tackling addictions are one of his goals, he said.

“There were 45 drug-related deaths in Chatham-Kent last year,” he said. “Forty-five people taken from their friends and families. Of these deaths, 36 were related to opioid poisonings. This is a challenge that we must work on collaboratively and focus on strengthening our community response.”

He also wants renewed focus on promoting and protecting children’s health, noting chronic disease rates in Chatham-Kent are among Ontario’s highest.

“We’ve got to get a hold on these issues much earlier. . . to lessen the burden later on,” he said. “The biggest impact we can make is on those aged zero to 18. Strengthening the programs and services. . . to protect them when they are most susceptible, and educate them when they are most receptive, . . . will have the greatest impact on the future of our community and everyone who calls it home.”

Colby, the municipality’s top doctor since 2003, said he was “happy to pass the baton” and that he enjoyed his role.

“All good things come to an end and my time as the CK medical officer of health was wonderful, except for the pandemic, of course,” he said.

“We narrowly dodged the bullet. It must be remembered that public health measures prevented catastrophic overloading of our hospitals, which we saw in lots of places around the world.”

Continuously fighting misinformation is a key challenge, he said.

“Society must learn to reject technical opinions from sources who lack the expertise and qualifications to provide such opinions,” he said.

Colby will remain a professor at Western University’s Schulich school of medicine and dentistry.

Coun. Brock McGregor, who chairs the health board, said Colby served Chatham-Kent well.

“I want to thank Dr. Colby for his years of service to our community, particularly for his advocacy for harm-reduction strategies and his leadership throughout the pandemic,” he said.

“Dr. Nesathurai is going to be a great fit with the team at CK Public Health. His eagerness to lead the staff and mobilize the community is exactly what the organization needs as we continue to work on the public health challenges facing Chatham-Kent.”