Kerry Chant
Kerry Gai Chant is an Australian public health physician who has been the chief health officer of New South Wales, Australia, since 2008. She gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia providing regular public health advice for New South Wales, a contribution for which she was named the state's Woman of the Year in March 2021.
Kerry Chant | |
|---|---|
 Chant in 2020 | |
| Chief Health Officer of New South Wales | |
| Assumed office 2008 | |
| Premier | Morris Iemma Nathan Rees Kristina Keneally Barry O'Farrell Mike Baird Gladys Berejiklian Dominic Perrottet Chris Minns |
| Deputy | Jeremy McAnulty Marianne Gale |
| Preceded by | Greg Stewart |
| Personal details | |
| Alma mater | University of New South Wales |
| Profession | Public health officer |
Kerry Gai Chant AO PSM is an Australian public health physician who has been the chief health officer of New South Wales, Australia, since 2008. She gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia providing regular public health advice for New South Wales, a contribution for which she was named the state's Woman of the Year in March 2021.[1]
Early life
[edit]Chant grew up in Punchbowl, New South Wales.[2] She attended the Danebank Anglican School for Girls, graduating in 1980.[3] Chant worked in retail jobs and a pharmacy before studying medicine.[4] She attended the University of New South Wales where she completed a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery in 1987, a Master in Health Administration in 1991 and a Master of Public Health in 1995.[5]
Career
[edit]Chant has been with the New South Wales Health Department since 1991 working in the areas of virus infections, communicable diseases prevention and control and Indigenous health.[6] She is currently Deputy Secretary of Population and Public Health and NSW Chief Health Officer,[7] a role for which she has been recognised for her contribution, having held the longest service to date.[8] Prior to this, Chant was Director, Public Health Unit in Sydney South West Area Health Service; Director, Health Protection and Deputy Chief Health Officer. In 2013, she was threatened for advocating fluoridation of the water supply in the City of Lismore.[9] Chant is an author of multiple research papers on public health matters, particularly related to infectious diseases, including the discovery of the Menangle virus.[10] During the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chant often appeared alongside premier Gladys Berejiklian when providing health updates and advice to the public.[11]
Awards
[edit]- 2021: NSW Premier's Woman of the Year, and Woman of Excellence Award[12]
- 2020: UNSW Chancellor's Award for Exceptional Alumni Achievement[13]
- 2015: Australian Public Service Medal for "outstanding public service to population health in New South Wales"[14]
- 2022: Appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours for "distinguished service to the people of New South Wales through public health administration and governance, and to medicine".[15]
References
[edit]- ^ Aubusson, Kate (10 March 2021). "Just what the doctor ordered: COVID-19 conqueror leaves NSW in a fine state". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Robinson, Natasha (20 November 2020). "Local (health) heroes". The Weekend Australian. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
- ^ "Directions Magazine". Issuu. Danebank. 14 June 2015. Archived from the original on 11 January 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ "Local (health) heroes: the women leading the fight". www.theaustralian.com.au. 22 November 2020.
- ^ "Chancellor's Award for Exceptional Alumni Achievement". School of Population Health, University of New South Wales. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ "Speakers - 2015 Innovation Symposium". www.health.nsw.gov.au.
- ^ "Dr Kerry Chant". Healthy Communities Mid North Coast. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ "Dr Kerry Chant | NSW Government". 3 December 2021.
- ^ Hansen, Jane (12 September 2013). "NSW chief medical officer Dr Kerry Chant threatened and accosted after fluoride ban lifted in Lismore". dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ Chant, K.; Chan, R.; Smith, M.; Dwyer, D. E.; Kirkland, P. (1998). "Probable human infection with a newly described virus in the family Paramyxoviridae. The NSW Expert Group". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 4 (2): 273–275. doi:10.3201/eid0402.980215. PMC 2640130. PMID 9621198.
- ^ Anne Davies (16 July 2021). "'Secret weapon': unflappable Kerry Chant faces toughest challenge yet as NSW Covid outbreak grows". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
- ^ "NSW Chief Health Officer awarded the highest honour in 2021 Women of the Year Awards". NSW Government. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ "Chancellor's Award for Exceptional Alumni Achievement". School of Population Health, University of New South Wales. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ "Public Service Medal (PSM) entry for Dr Kerry Chant". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "Queen's Birthday 2022 Honours - the full list". Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.