In the middle of a health care crisis and health reorganization, what better position to leave open than the Chief Medical Officer of Health?
Alberta’s government, which routinely likes to argue that it uses little or no intervention in the workings of Alberta Health Services, let Dr. Mark Joffre’s contract casually expire on Monday without hardly a word.
Joffre had seemingly been a good soldier for the province, taking over a tumultuous position in November of 2022. And yet, he’s out of a job.
“It was a turbulent time in health care when he stepped up to assume this challenging and unpopular role. It continues to be a turbulent time as he steps down. Strong anti-vaccine sentiments are present, and we now find ourselves with a measles crisis,” said Shelley Duggan, President of the Alberta Medical Association in an open letter.
“I want to thank Dr. Joffe for his service to Albertans and for his quiet but firm support for evidence and sound health policy. During his tenure, he addressed public health concerns such as E. coli cases linked to Calgary daycares.
“In the current measles outbreaks, he has consistently emphasized the importance of immunization and containment efforts, highlighting its severity compared to other childhood illnesses and the risks to others of all ages.”
According to the province, Joffre was an “experienced healthcare leader with a lifelong passion and interest in the prevention of infectious diseases.”
He had worked with the former Capital Health and now Alberta Health Services for more than 25 years and was President of the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases of Canada, among numerous local and national duties.
Safe to say he was experienced in this kind of thing.
For weeks during a worsening measles outbreak in the province, people had been clamouring to hear from the CMOH. Reporters had routinely asked for him to hold an availability to update the province on the growing crisis.
He never did, only providing a statement on Friday, after cases spread into the 70s.
“In light of the measles outbreaks across the province, I want to remind all Albertans that these outbreaks are highly preventable. Albertans can protect themselves and those around them by ensuring their measles immunizations are up to date,” Joffre said in a statement released by the Alberta Government on Friday.
“Immunization with measles-containing vaccine is the single most important public health intervention to prevent measles… The measles vaccine is safe and highly effective at preventing infection and complications and is readily available to eligible Albertans.”
And of course, on Monday, he vanished mysteriously from his role, the government saying his contract “expired”. Quite a convenient explanation for a likely scapegoat who delivered the above statement about vaccines being “safe and effective” last Friday.
It would perhaps be less questionable if the last CMOH, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, who served in her role from Jan. 2019 to Nov. 2022, hadn’t been removed from her post due in part to her support of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The province said earlier this week that a new appointment to the position was coming soon. First, an interim appointment will be made before a permanent replacement can be found.
During a crisis, the stability of leadership serves citizens the best. This decision seems far from that.
Byron Hackett is Managing Editor of the Red Deer Advocate and Regional Editor for Black Press Media.
