The Chair of the Windsor-Essex County Public Health Board is standing by the work of the health unit during the COVID-19 pandemic.
That's after a heated email exchange over testing practices between Windsor Regional Hospital CEO and President David Musyj and Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
Board Chair Gary McNamara doesn't directly reference the issue, but in a statement released Friday afternoon McNamara says he "stand behind the strong and unwavering leadership of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Nursing Officer Theresa Marentette and Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Wajid Ahmed."
McNamara goes on to says local boards of health are responsible delivering public health programs and services and preventing the of the spread of disease under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
"Together with the support of the senior leadership and the over 200 public health staff, the WECHU has continued to put the health and well-being of our community at the forefront of every action and decision," he added.
Public health decisions are complex and require expertise, science and evidence, according to McNamara.
"From the beginning of the pandemic the WECHU has focused on providing information that is clear, consistent and science based," he says. "These decisions are not easy and responsibility is heavy and we are confident in Dr. Ahmed and Marentette to continue to put evidence before politics in decisions to keep our communities healthy."