Members of expert panel on infectious disease control are announced

Toronto, ON June 16, 2003 Ontario’s health and long-term care minister Tony Clement today named the members of the expert panel that will be providing advice on how to strengthen infectious disease control during future outbreaks.

Those named to the expert panel are Dr Wilbert Keon, CEO of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute; Jack Kitts, chief executive officer of the Ottawa Hospital; Dr Andreas Laupacis, president and CEO of the Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences; Dr Donald Low, chief of microbiology at Mount Sinai Hospital; Dr Kieran Moore, an emergency physician at Sudbury Regional Hospital; Leslie Vincent, chief of nursing at Mount Sinai Hospital; and Dr Robin Williams, Niagara Region’s medical officer of health.

Last month, the minister announced the creation of the panel and named Dr David Walker, dean of medicine at Queen’s University, as the chair.

Ex-officio members of the panel are Dr Sheela Basrur, Toronto’s medical officer of health; Dr Colin D’Cunha, chief medical officer of health; Dr Hanif Kassam, associate medical officer of health in York Region; Dr David Naylor, dean of medicine at the University of Toronto; Dr Jim Young, commissioner of public security; and Dr Dick Zoutman, chief of infectious diseases at Kingston General Hospital.

The work of the panel will include assessing the backup capacity needed in the healthcare system, as well as research and measures to strengthen infectious disease control, public health and system response capabilities.

The expert panel will report back to the minister by the end of December.