Lambton’s medical officer of health is heading north – way north.

Dr. Sudit Ranade has accepted the role of Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. He starts July 4.

Ranade came to Lambton in 2012 replacing Dr. Christopher Greensmith who retired. Ranade was active in the community and helped shape public health with a new strategic plan which helped identify public health priorities in Lambton.

But he became a well-known public figure as COVID-19 came to Ontario and the province imposed restrictions to stop its spread. Ranade held hundreds of news conference and updates for municipal leaders at Lambton County Council to keep the public informed and to try to ease concerns.

Ranade also took a leave of absence during the federal election to run as a Liberal candidate in the Lambton-Kent-Middlesex riding in the 2021 election.

In a news release announcing his resignation, Lambton County Warden Kevin Marriott thanked him for his “superb leadership” during the pandemic.

Ranade’s appointment in Yukon was announced yesterday. Tracy-Anne McPhee, the minister of health and social services, in a news release says Ranade will be “responsible for providing evidence-based advice to the Government of Yukon on the territory’s ongoing response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health matters such as the Substance Use Health Emergency. He will also help advise the government as it continues to implement the recommendations from the Putting People First report to transform Yukon’s health and social services system into a more integrated, collaborative and person-centred system that will better meet the needs of Yukoners.”