Tarun Weeramanthri

Tarun Weeramanthri
Chief Health Officer (Western Australia)
In office 2008–2018
Succeeded by	Andrew Robertson
Chief Health Officer (Northern Territory)
In office 2004–2007
Preceded by	Shirley Hendy
Succeeded by	Barbara Paterson
Personal details
Alma mater	University of Sydney, University of Western Australia
Awards	Sidney Sax Medal, Minister for Health's Award

Tarun Weeramanthri is an Australian public health doctor who is an adjunct professor at the University of Western Australia (UWA). He was the Chief Health Officer of the Northern Territory from 2004 to 2007, and Western Australia from 2008 to 2018.

Career

Weeramanthri has a Ph.D. in social medicine from the University of Sydney.[1]

Weeramanthri was Chief Health Officer of the Northern Territory between 2004 and 2007, succeeding Shirley Hendy, and succeeded by Barbara Paterson.[2][3]

Weeramanthri began as Chief Health Officer of Western Australia in 2008. Achievements in public health in Western Australia under his leadership include the Public Health Act 2016, replacing the Health Act 1911, and the opening of Perth Children's Hospital after lead and asbestos issues. During his time in Western Australia, he was also Assistant Director General of the Department of Health. In May 2018, he went on leave, formally resigning on 20 October 2018. He was succeeded by Andrew Robertson.[2][3][4][5][6]

Weeramanthri is an adjunct professor for the UWA School of Population and Global Health, and deputy chair of the Pathwest board.[2][3]

During Victoria's second wave of COVID-19 in mid-2020, Weeramanthri assisted with the state's public health response.[7][8] He was also a special advisor to the Western Australian government for its COVID-19 response during 2020.[9]

In October 2020, Weeramanthri was appointed president of the Public Health Association of Australia.[3][9]

In February 2021, Weeramanthri was appointed by the Western Australian government to conduct a review into the procedures and processes of the state's hotel quarantine program, after a security guard working at a quarantine hotel caught COVID-19 from a guest, causing parts of Western Australia to go into a 5-day lockdown.[10][11][12]

Awards and honours

• Public Health Association of Australia's President's Award (2013)[9]
• Sidney Sax Medal for contribution to public health in Australia (2014)[2]
• Western Australia Minister for Health's award for Outstanding Commitment to a Healthier Western Australia (2018)[2][13]

References

1. "Industry speakers". Murdoch University. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
2. "Tarun Weeramanthri biography" (PDF). Department of Health. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
3. Kanapathippillai, Julia (29 October 2020). "Public Health Association of Australia welcomes its new president". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
4. "WA Chief Health Officer to stand down". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
5. "PROFESSOR TARUN WEERAMANTHRI". ANZSOG. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
6. "Tarun Weeramanthri". Business News. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
7. "WA to provide assistance to Victoria's COVID-19 response". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
8. "Victorian coronavirus cases increase by 64 including 13 linked to known outbreaks". ABC News. 30 June 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
9. "PHAA welcomes former WA and NT Chief Health Officer as new President". Public Health Association of Australia. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
10. Law, Peter (February 2021). "Coronavirus WA: No new cases for WA as Premier announces investigation into infected security guard". The West Australian. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
11. McNeill, Heather (19 February 2021). "WA hotel workers to have COVID-19 tests on days off as quarantine clampdown continues". WAtoday. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
12. Wahlquist, Calla; Taylor, Josh (February 2021). "WA launches two reviews as authorities reveal hotel quarantine guard has UK variant". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
13. "Award recognises public health champion". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.

Government offices
Preceded by Shirley Hendy	Chief Health Officer (Northern Territory) 2004–2007	Succeeded by Barbara Paterson
Preceded by	Chief Health Officer (Western Australia) 2008–2018	Succeeded by Andrew Robertson