City council on Wednesday approved the appointment of Dr. Michelle Murti as the city’s new medical officer of health, replacing Dr. Eileen de Villa, who stepped down in December.
Dr. Michelle Murti has been selected to be ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½’s next permanent medical officer of health, replacing Dr. Eileen de Villa, who announced her resignation a year ago.Â
The city’s board of health chose Murti earlier in July after about three months of searching. It was the board’s second attempt at finding a successor for de Villa after cancelling its first choice for unknown reasons.
City council approved Murti’s appointment Wednesday. She will assume her new role on Sept. 3, pending final approval from the provincial Ministry of Health — where she currently works as Ontario’s associate chief medical officer of health.Â
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Murti has degrees from the University of ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½’s medical and public health schools. She has been an adjunct professor at her alma mater since 2022.
Since earning her medical degree in 2006, Murti has served as a medical epidemiologist for the World Health Organization in Switzerland in 2014, a “disease detective” for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. in 2012 and as a family doctor near St. Clair and Dufferin in 2011.
“Dr. Murti is a respected public health physician with a deep understanding of both local community health and global disease prevention,” said Mayor Oliva Chow at city council Wednesday. “Dr. Murti is the right person to lead us through this next chapter.”
As ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½â€™s top doctor, she will lead the local public health unit and develop policies to limit the spread of disease in the city. Chow said Murti has a lot of work ahead of her, such as preparing for long-term climate change impacts.
“I am honoured to serve the people of ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ as their Medical Officer of Health,” said Murti in a statement. “I look forward to working alongside the incredible ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Public Health staff and with community and city partners to protect and improve health, reduce health inequities and make ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ a healthy and resilient place where we can all live, work and play.”
Documents show ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½â€™s board of health picked someone to replace her immediately, on a permanent basis, but for unknown reasons they appear to have lost the job weeks later. Board of health chair Chris Moise declined to share this person’s identity.
Dr. Na-Koshie Lamptey was named “acting” medical officer of health, a role she has held since.Â
The health board .
Under provincial regulations, the Ontario Ministry of Health has to approve the city’s choice.Â
Ben Cohen is part of the Star's city hall bureau, based in
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