Editorial – Acting Medical Officer of Health for Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Is Off To The Right Start

Pete Fisher
3 years ago
• Categories: Editorial

Editorial – It was something that was certainly welcomed by everyone, especially media on Wednesday, January 13, 2021.

It was something that has been missing since the start of the pandemic nearly a year ago.

Something that has caused major frustrations.

It wasn’t a miracle, but for many, it almost felt like one.

It was a press conference by the Acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Ian Gemmill.

Dr. Gemmill is the Acting Medical Officer of Health until April when Dr. Natalie Bocking takes over the position.

But Dr. Gemmill is fully qualified having previously been the MOH for Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health until his retirement in 2017.

Since the start of the pandemic, Today’s Northumberland along with many in the community have been frustrated by the lack of transparency from the local health unit.

Time and time again, very little information has come forward by the health unit regarding questions or more importantly reasons for the decisions.

But today, it was about moving forward.

An hour long virtual press conference with local media listening to Dr. Gemmill and getting to ask questions.

It may not seem like a big step, but when you think that this is the first press conference with the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s Medical Officer of Health since the pandemic started – it is something that should have been done months ago.

First impressions may not give you the whole story, but from what took place this morning during the virtual press conference it seems Dr. Gemmill is the perfect person to fill the position at this time.

Gemmill was open, transparent and willing to answer all the questions posed to him.

That is all anyone in this area could ask for.

It seems the health unit is headed in the right direction and the public finally has transparency.

Thank you Dr. Gemmill!