Sudbury health unit names new medical officer of health

Dr. Mustafa Hirji is the new medical officer of health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts, the health unit’s board announced Wednesday.

Hirji will technically be the acting medical officer of health until the province approves the appointment. He will formally succeed Dr. Penny Sutcliffe on March 18, 2024.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Hirji and are confident that his years of senior leadership experience with Niagara Region Public Health and his professionalism will ensure that Public Health Sudbury & Districts continues as a strong, stable, and locally responsive agency,” René Lapierre, chair of the health unit’s board, said in a news release.

“This new chapter for Public Health will build on Dr. Penny Sutcliffe’s exemplary leadership and dedication over more than two decades of protecting our communities and promoting health for all,” said Lapierre.

The Board unanimously endorsed the appointment recommendation from its Recruitment and Selection Sub-committee following a national search and thorough recruitment process.

Hirji comes to Sudbury at an important time with the changes that the province has recently announced, including the voluntary merger process for public health units.

Dr. Mustafa Hirji is the new medical officer of health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts, the health unit’s board announced Wednesday. (Supplied)

Hirji joins the health unit following more than eight years at Niagara Region Public Health where he served as associate medical officer of health, including almost five and a half years acting as the medical officer of health and commissioner of public health and emergency services.

He led the community’s response to the pandemic, the news release said, and increased focus on health equity and strengthened the organization’s capabilities in communications and data analytics.

“I am excited and incredibly humbled to be joining Public Health Sudbury & Districts, an organization that has a sterling reputation for excellence and commitment to health equity,” Hirji said in the release.

“On a more personal note, having lived in the Prairies and the Golden Horseshoe, I am eager to learn about and experience a new part of Canada in northern Ontario.”

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