Dr. Wajid Ahmed leaving WECHU: accepts Toronto position as Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health

Dr. Wajid Ahmed, Medical Officer of Health for the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, addresses reporters concerning the public health unit's COVID-19 response on March 14, 2020. (Ricardo Veneza/CTV Windsor)

Windsor, Ont. -

After more than a year at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic in Windsor-Essex, Dr. Wajid Ahmed WECHU’s Medical Officer of Health has announced his resignation effective October 1st, 2021.

Dr. Ahmed has accepted a position with the Ministry of Health as Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health where he will continue to support and advocate for public health across the province.

“I have been privileged, blessed and honored to serve as Medical Officer of Health for Windsor-Essex and to lead our community through many significant challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic. My time at the WECHU has been one of great personal and professional growth. I am grateful to the Board for their strong support of me over this past year in particular and am proud to have been part of the WECHU’s amazing staff and strong public health leadership,” said Dr. Wajid Ahmed, Medical Officer of Health.

Dr. Ahmed, began his career as the Associate Medical Officer of Health for Windsor-Essex in 2014 and eventually took over as Medical Officer of Health in 2017. During his time at the WECHU, Dr. Ahmed has led many public health initiatives including the development of the Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy (WECOSS). From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic Dr. Ahmed has provided strong leadership and guidance, committing to daily updates to ensure our community and residents were provided with timely and trusted information during an uncertain time.

“On behalf of the Board of Health I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Ahmed for his unwavering leadership and tireless commitment to the health and well-being of the Windsor-Essex Community. Dr. Ahmed’s guidance and decisive action has marshalled our community through one of the most challenging crisis we have faced,” said Gary McNamara, Chair of the Board of Health.

“It has been a sincere privilege to work alongside Dr. Ahmed for the past seven years. Dr. Ahmed is a kind thoughtful leader whose commitment to community health, well-being and public health practice are evident in everything he does. While I will miss Dr. Ahmed’s spirit, expertise and friendship, I know he will continue to serve our community and our province in his new role with the Ministry of Health”, said Nicole Dupuis, Chief Executive Officer

The Windsor-Essex County Board of Health announced Friday that they will begin the recruitment for a new Medical Officer of Health for Windsor-Essex.

Over the next few weeks, the focus of the Board of Health will be to begin the process to recruit a new Medical Officer of Health with the assistance of an experienced recruiting firm. In the interim, Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, the former Medical Officer of Health for the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, has been appointed as the WECHU’s Acting Medical Officer of Health. Dr. Nesathurai earned his medical degree from McMaster University and his Masters of Public Health from Harvard University.