Dr. Michael Routledge has been appointed the new chief provincial public health officer for Manitoba, Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced.

“Dr. Routledge has a great deal of experience and expertise in public health. His experience in family medicine and as an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba will serve him well as he takes on this new role,” said Oswald. “I also want to thank Dr. Margaret Fast for serving as acting chief provincial public health officer while the position was being filled.”

Routledge graduated from the University of Manitoba faculty of medicine in 1998. He received certification from the College of Family Physicians of Canada in 2001 and a fellowship in community medicine (now public health and preventive medicine) from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2004. He completed a master’s degree in community health sciences at the University of Manitoba in 2004.

Routledge has practised family medicine since 2001 and currently practises part time as a family physician at the ACCESS River East primary care centre in Winnipeg. He has been an assistant professor in the department of community health sciences at the University of Manitoba since 2004.

Between 2004 and 2007, he worked as a medical officer of health in Manitoba Health’s Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health. In 2007, Routledge joined the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA), dividing his time as a medical officer of health in population and public health, and medical director for the region’s home-care program. In 2010, he was appointed medical director of the WRHA Population and Public Health Program.

“I’m excited to have this opportunity to take on a new leadership role in public health in Manitoba,” said Routledge. “I look forward to working with our many partners to support efforts to improve the health of Manitobans and reduce health inequities in people across the province.”

Routledge begins his new role on Sept. 10.

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