dr. vera etches appointed head of cheo
as ottawa's medical officer of health, etches shepherded the city through the covid-19 pandemic, a role that didn't always make her popular.
3 minute read
dr. vera etches will be the next president and ceo of cheo.
tony caldwell
/
postmedia
dr. vera etches, who shepherded ottawa residents through the covid-19 pandemic as medical officer of health, has been appointed president and ceo of cheo. the board of directors of the eastern ontario regional children’s hospital made the announcement wednesday after a months-long search for a replacement for alex munter.
munter left the job he held for 13 years at the beginning of october. etches will take on the role as of march 3, 2025.
etches became the familiar face of local public health measures in ottawa during the covid-19 pandemic, starting with a dramatic press conference the day the global pandemic was declared. she led ottawa public health through the public health emergency, sometimes issuing public health advice that wasn’t always popular.
she has also been at the helm of ottawa public health during a period of increasing demand as a result of issues including the toxic drug crisis and ongoing infectious disease challenges at a time of chronically tight budgets.
in a statement, the hospital said etches’ “stellar reputation, extensive experience managing large, complex organizations and success navigating major health crises like the pandemic were key factors in the board’s decision.” her leadership of a major health-care organization with broad community reach and strong relationships with numerous community and political partners have “prepared her well” for the challenges of the job.
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“we are thrilled to welcome dr. etches to cheo. her experience, passion and dedication to improving health for everyone make her an ideal person to lead us into the future,” cheo board chair jo-anne poirier said.
etches was not immediately available for an interview, but said in a statement she was honoured to be joining cheo. “cheo is synonymous with exceptional compassionate care and groundbreaking research. i look forward to working with the cheo team to build on this legacy and ensure that cheo continues to meet the growing needs of kids today and tomorrow.”
the change in leadership at cheo comes during a period of transformation for the hospital, which is in the midst of a 10-year redevelopment plan that will expand access to care for children and youth. the president and ceo oversees all aspects of cheo’s operations, including patient care on campus and in the community, as well as research, innovation and advocacy.
during his tenure, munter was a leading voice pushing for more funding to “right-size” pediatric health care in ontario, a campaign that took on a new urgency during the pandemic when cheo and other children’s hospitals were overwhelmed. pediatric hospital budgets were already inadequate to meet the needs when munter took on the job, he has said, and they shrunk.
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that call was answered by the provincial government in the form of $330 million in new funding for pediatric hospitals, which included an annual boost of almost $50 million for cheo. it was the single biggest increase in pediatric capacity in ontario’s history and has improved cheo’s capacity, but challenges remain.
when he left the role at the beginning of october, munter was the longest-serving hospital ceo in ottawa and the longest-serving children’s hospital ceo in the country. he assumes the role of ceo of the canadian medical association in december. cheo’s chief of staff, dr. lindy samson, will continue to serve as interim president and ceo until march 3.
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