Alberta government appoints new interim chief medical officer of health

The Alberta government has announced a new interim chief medical officer of health, days after not renewing the previous one’s contract.

The new top doctor, Dr. Sunil Sookram, is serving temporarily as arrangements are finalized for a “longer-term appointment.”

He is currently the facility medical director and chief of medical staff at Strathcona Community Hospital in Sherwood Park, east of Edmonton.

Sookram is also a clinical professor in the department of emergency medicine at the University of Alberta and practises as an emergency physician at the University of Alberta Hospital.

The appointment comes after the office of Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said Tuesday that the contract of Dr. Mark Joffe had expired on Monday.

Joffe was serving in the role on an interim basis after the Alberta government followed through on its 2022 commitment to fire Dr. Deena Hinshaw, who held the position throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

It also comes after he released his first public statement since 2023, with that instance also about measles in the province. He released a statement to the public encouraging vaccines.

LaGrange said Thursday that Sookram brings a wealth of experience to the role.

“I appreciate his willingness to serve in this capacity on a temporary basis as we work to finalize the candidate for the interim chief medical officer of health position,” LaGrange said in a statement.

“I also wish to thank Dr. Mark Joffe for his service and dedication over the past three years.”

Sookram enters the role as Alberta grapples with a rising number of measles cases.

The province reported six new cases on Thursday, bringing its total to 89 since the beginning of March, though 83 of those people are now past the period of communicability. 

Officials say that does not reflect the risk in the community, as there may be people with undiagnosed measles, or the number of people who have been exposed to the extremely contagious disease.