Dr. Bonnie Henry is the province’s first female provincial health officer. Photo courtesy CBC.
With the retirement of Dr. Perry Kendall, the government announced his successor is the first female provincial health officer.
Dr. Bonnie Henry will take over the role after Kendall moves out of the position January 31, which monitors the health of residents in the province and gives advice on public-health issues.
Henry has been the deputy provincial health officer since August 2014.
“Dr. Henry has hands-on experience in managing large-scale public-health issues both internationally and here in B.C.,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a release.
Henry is credited with guiding the province through the worst wildfire season in decades in, a response from B.C. to the West Africa Ebola outbreak and leadership in the overdose crisis.
“I feel confident that Dr. Henry is the right person for this job. I have relied on her judgment and approach regularly during her time as deputy provincial health officer,” Kendall said.
Kendall became provincial health officer in 1999.
Andy Neal
