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Halton's new MOH has a long commitment to public health continued from p.1 "We are very fortunate. She is well respected within the province and we are really looking forward to working with her... She's got that great blend of academic experience and also some real strong management skills that we were looking for." Meghani, who has called Oakville home for more than seven years, said the opportunity to contribute to the quality of life in the area in which she lives and Halton Region's reputation for working with the public were key motivators for her. Born in India, Meghani's family immigrated to Canada when she was a child. She said she remembers seeing the impact of poverty on people in India and learning from her parents the importance of helping those in need. She credits these early experiences with helping to guide her to a career in public health. "I really wanted to be able to contribute to a healthy society," said Meghani. "A lot of the things I was interested in, in terms of writing, advocacy and science really fell together with medicine. Once I was in medical school, finding out there was a program around public health... it was something that was very natural for me." The incoming MOH received her medical degree from McMaster University in 2007 and did her residency at the University of Toronto, spending two years at St. Michael's Hospital. She completed a Masters of Public Health in Family and Reproductive Health at Columbia University in New York City. She is a certified family physician, has completed training in public health and preventative medicine and is a Fellow with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. During much of 2011, Meghani interned at Halton Region under former MOH Dr. Bob Nosal, who she will succeed in July as Nosal retires after 25 years in the role. As Associate Medical Officer of Health in Hamilton, Meghani said it has become clear just how much of a difference the public health department can make locally. One initiative Meghani said While only two cases have surfaced at this time, Meghani said a huge amount of work has been undertaken to ensure things stay that way. "It's been a busy month... It's been a lot of work to track down people (who had contact with sick individuals) and make sure that either they are fully immunized or that they have the information they need to not spread measles to other people if they end up getting it," she said. "We worked through the weekend when this happened, because we were notified on a Saturday, and into the following week. My staff has done such a great job. We got a lot of media attention in the GTA and I was the spokesperson on that, but I felt very supported by my staff." While it is too early for Meghani to formulate plans about health initiatives she'll introduce to Halton, she said some of the challenges that need to be addressed include lowering local obesity levels, which is a problem throughout the province, and stemming the high level of vehicle collisions. She said helping people access health information and support quickly is a priority. When not dealing with outbreaks and medical work Meghani said she enjoys reading, travelling and spending time with good friends and family. 5 | Friday, April 18, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Dr. Hamidah K. Meghani she is particularly proud of is the rolling out of a pilot project in November 2013, which seeks to combat a trend of low birth weights among babies in parts of Hamilton by providing pregnant women with supports to stop smoking. These supports include intensive counselling, incentive programs and free nicotine replacement therapy. 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