The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland Branch President, Chris Owen, has welcomed confirmation that Dr Krispin Hajkowicz will become Queensland's next Chief Health Officer (CHO) when Queensland's current CHO, Dr Jeannette Young, becomes Queensland Governor on 1 November 2021.
Mr Owen said that Dr Hajkowicz's appointment meant Queensland would continue to benefit from having excellent leadership advising the state into the next stages of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
"Most recently, Dr Hajkowicz was the Director of Infectious Disease at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH)," said Mr Owen, "and it's also been reported that Dr Hajkowicz received an award for excellence in leadership for "his calm in supporting manner in education staff during the pandemic. He has also been responsible for running one of the first vaccination centres in Queensland at the RBWH."
"Given Dr Hajkowicz's wealth of experience, it's hard to imagine a candidate more suited to advise government through the next phase of the pandemic."
However, Mr Owen said the appointment was bittersweet as it meant Dr Young would be taking on new responsibilities.
"Queenslanders really owe a great debt of gratitude to Dr Young for her selfless leadership in the face of challenges few of us will ever have to encounter," said Mr Owen.
"Queensland has been very well served by Dr Young's steadfast leadership, and our community pharmacists could not have asked for a better partner in providing front-line care to Queenslanders.
"Dr Young has performed admirably in the role of CHO since 2005 and has advised both sides of politics.
"While we welcome Dr Hajkowicz to the role, so too, we wish Dr Young the very best in her new role as Governor of Queensland," said Mr Owen.
