David Williams (Canadian physician)
David Williams | |
|---|---|
 Williams in 2009 | |
| Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health | |
| Assumed office February 16, 2016[1] | |
| Acting July 1, 2015 – February 16, 2016[2] | |
| Acting November 2007 – June 2009 | |
| Thunder Bay Medical Officer of Health | |
| In office October 2011 – June 30, 2015[2] | |
| In office 1991 – 2005[3] | |
| Ontario Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health | |
| In office 2005 – 2011[2] | |
| Personal details | |
| Residence | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Alma mater | University of Toronto, BSc, MD, MHSc |
David Cecil Williams is a Canadian physician and public servant presently serving as Chief Medical Officer of Health for the province of Ontario. He previously held the role of medical officer of health for the Thunder Bay District health unit.
Education and early career[edit]
Williams holds three degrees from University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Science (BSc), Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Health Science (MHSc). He is a fellow of Royal College of Physicians of Canada in community medicine/public health and preventive medicine.[2]
Williams initially worked as a general practitioner and anesthetist in Sioux Lookout, Ontario and served on an international mission in a hospital setting to Tansen, Nepal.[2]
Public health career[edit]
Williams served as the medical officer of health for Thunder Bay, Ontario from 1991 until 2005,[2] and again in 2011 until 2015.
He served as associate chief medical officer of health for the province of Ontario from 2005 until 2011,[2] and served as acting chief medical officer of health from 2007 to 2009 and again in 2015 until he took the job permanently.[2]
Opioid epidemic[edit]
Williams has been involved in the ongoing opioid epidemic, which affects Canada and the province of Ontario. His promoted and suggested methods to health care providers in the province involve harm reduction[4] and the extended use of opioid replacement therapy with drugs such as suboxone.[5] Williams expressed concerns over an increase in carfentanil presence in street-drugs.[6]
COVID-19[edit]
As Ontario's chief medical officer of health during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Williams has been leading the province's response to the COVID-19 pandemic since the first case in the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada was identified in Toronto. Williams has faced harsh criticism during the pandemic.[7][8] In November 2020, Williams considered retirement from his position but was convinced to stay on by Premier Doug Ford.[9]
References[edit]
- ^ "Chief Medical Officer - About the Ministry - MOHLTC".
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Ontario Newsroom | Salle de presse de l'Ontario". news.ontario.ca.
- ^ "Contributor: Dr. David Williams". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
- ^ "Dr. David Williams leads opioid addiction strategy". TBNewsWatch.com.
- ^ Leslie, Keith (October 12, 2016). "Ontario expands use of Suboxone as part of new provincial opioid strategy". CTVNews.
- ^ McGillivray, Kate (July 4, 2019). "Spike in carfentanil deaths prompts warning from Ontario's chief medical officer of health". CBC News Toronto. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
- ^ DiMatteo, Enzo (November 25, 2020). "Calls grow for the removal of Ontario's chief medical officer of health".
- ^ "Praised by Doug Ford, vilified by critics — but is Dr. David Williams misunderstood?". thestar.com. November 29, 2020.
- ^ "Doug Ford wants Dr. David Williams to delay retirement and stay on to fight COVID-19". thestar.com. November 23, 2020.
 Chief Health Officers of Canada | |
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| Federal | |
| Provincial | |
| Territorial | |
| Municipal | |