Dr. Jim Chirico retiring as district's medical officer of health

After 15 years as the district's top doc, Dr. Jim Chirico, the medical officer of health and executive officer for the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit has given notice of his intention to retire from the position, effective July 11.

Dr. Chirico will be remembered as the public face of the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic (see video below) and for his resolve in the midst of the intense scrutiny he weathered from the media and the community at large in carrying out his duties. Although the policies he enforced were not always warmly received by the public, he remained steadfast in his support of health measures that he maintained were guided by the latest scientific information available.

He admitted to making mistakes along the way as he was the captain at the helm of a ship navigating uncharted territory. Dr. Chirico remains a staunch defender of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign that he often said saved many lives locally.

The news was shared following an in-camera session, Wednesday evening, of the Personnel Policy, Labour/Employee Relations Committee of the Health Unit's Board of Health.

Under Ontario law, the committee had the option to appoint a successor or open a competitive process to fill the role. The Board of Health chose to name Dr. Carol Zimbalatti of North Bay, the current associate medical officer of health, to take on Dr. Chirico's roles. Dr. Zimbalatti will be referred to as the "acting" MOH and executive officer until the Minister of Health officially approves the move.

Committee Chair Jamie Lowery noted, "Dr. Carol Zimbalatti was recruited for the purposes of succession planning," when hired in the associate role in 2022. Zimbalatti previously served as a public health physician for the Health Unit, while concurrently completing a four-year Master of Public Health degree.

Dr. Chirico started as a public health physician at the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit in 2008 and served in his current dual roles since 2009, ushering in the organization's transition to its new offices on Oak Street West along the way.