Alberta's deputy chief medical officers of health have resigned: Copping

Alberta's two deputy chief medical officers of health are leaving their roles.

Health Minister Jason Copping confirmed during question period that both of the doctors have submitted letters of resignation. The department later identified them as Dr. Rosana Salvaterra and Dr. Jing Hu.

Copping says they continue to work in their roles and Alberta Health is in the process of trying to replace them.

The resignations come less than a month after Dr. Deena Hinshaw, who became the face of Alberta's public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, was removed from her position.

She was replaced by Dr. Mark Joffe, a senior executive member of Alberta Health Services, on an interim basis.

Copping says his department is doing all it can to support Joffe.

In a statement sent to CBC News, an Alberta Health spokesperson said that preparations are underway to recruit for the public health physician positions. 

In the interim, Joffe has taken on the duties of chief medical officer of health full time as set out in the Public Health Act, according to the statement.

"Dr. Joffe will be supported by medical officers of health within AHS, by other staff in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, and by the Public Health Division," the statement read.

"We expect these changes to have no impact on the department's and Dr. Joffe's ability to meet the requirements of the Public Health Act."

The two resigning doctors did not have much public profile, but they held positions that meant the chief medical officer of health could delegate assignments to them. 

According to a health law and policy expert at the University of Calgary, the positions also have some of the same kinds of decision-making powers as a chief medical officer of health.

Associate professor Lorian Hardcastle said the resignations will invite some speculation as to reasons for their decision.

"When you have multiple people resigning like that, it does invite public speculation and perhaps invite some public distrust in terms of what's going on with the relationship between that office and the government."

When reached by her department email, Salvaterra told The Canadian Press: "Unfortunately, we are not able to comment."

She later added that she respects and admires both Dr. Hinshaw and Dr. Hu.

"They are brilliant, hard-working,and compassionate public health physicians and I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to work alongside them for these past 14 months."

Salvaterra, who has extensive public health experience including as the medical officer of health for Peterborough, Ont., joined the office in October 2021.

Her career in public health includes work in "the COVID-19 response, mental health, the opioid response, women's health, poverty reduction, health equity, community food security and building stronger relationships with First Nations."

Hu's out-of-office message said her "last day at work with Alberta Health was Nov. 18, 2022," and noted she wouldn't have access to the department email after that date.

Hu joined the health department in January 2020.