Krispin Hajkowicz set to be appointed Queensland’s next chief health officer
A frontline infectious disease doctor and father of three is set to be appointed Queensland’s new chief health officer to replace Dr Jeannette Young.
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Pandemic experts have praised the Queensland Government’s decision to appoint a frontline infectious disease doctor to the role of chief health officer as the state moves into “a whole new world” of Covid management.
While Queensland Health has yet to confirm the appointment of Krispin Hajkowicz, the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Director of Infectious Diseases, to the challenging role, sources have revealed that he will take over from Jeannette Young when she steps down from her duties on November 1.
As Jeannette Young, 58, moves on as the new Queensland Governor, Hajkowicz, who is a 45-year-old father of three boys, is primed to lead the state through the next phase of the pandemic – managing the Covid virus at the time when borders open.
Virus experts believe that Young’s successor will have to hit the ground running when the borders open, cases rise and the health system becomes overwhelmed.
Pandemic expert Prof Robert Booy, who is a member of the Immunisation Coalition told The Courier-Mail that it is great to see the appointment of a doctor with considerable expertise and frontline knowledge of the virus as a new world awaits.
“From December there will be many more freedoms and the virus will be on the move. It is hoped that one day Covid will become like the flu but there are big challenges ahead,” he said.
As well as guiding the state through the pandemic the new CHO will also be responsible for healthcare across the board, like the planning of staffing levels, even cancer treatment management and acting as advisor to government in all matters of health.
Dr Hajkowicz recently received an Excellence in Leadership award at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital’s for his calm and supportive manner in educating staff during the pandemic.
He is an amiable medic who successfully ran one of the first vaccination hubs in the state at the RBWH.
He studied medicine at the University of Queensland, graduating in 1999 and was the founder of the Queensland Statewide Antimicrobial Stewardship Program
Queensland Health has named three new Deputy Chief Health Officers. They are James Smith, Lynne McKinlay and Peter Aitken.
Infectious disease expert Paul Griffin believes the new CHO will have to upskill fast.
“Dr Young had a long time in the role before being hit with the pandemic. We are heading into a very challenging transition. When borders open there will need to be a lot of planning and preparation for an overload on a health system already at capacity. Transitioning into this next phase will need expertise,” he said.
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