The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) has brought on two new psychiatrists, a profession in high demand across Ontario.
The Ontario Psychiatric Association said the province currently has a shortage of 200 psychiatrists and the number of psychiatrists per capita is expected to decrease by 15 per cent by 2030. The association also said Ontario's mental health and addictions burden is seven times higher than that of chronic disease.
The Mental Health and Addictions Program at CKHA is trying to improve early detection and intervention to reduce the need for ongoing mental health intervention and improve the communities’ overall mental health and psychiatrists are part of the team.
Chatham-Kent also has a large seniors population.
Dr. Olusola Awoniyi became a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the United Kingdom in 2005 and furthered her education in the United Kingdom by earning a postgraduate diploma in Medical Law in 2010. She also became a Specialist in Old Age Psychiatry in 2011 and has been a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada since 2018. Dr. Awoniyi has practiced in Thunder Bay and most recently in Timmins.
She said she is looking forward to hiking in nature while enjoying the warmer climate that Southwestern Ontario has to offer.
CKHA said her passion for geriatric psychiatry is unwavering, which will provide endless opportunities to expand Chatham-Kent’s Geriatric Mental Health Outreach Team and better serve the area's aging population.
Dr. Thomas Ofuafor earned a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from The University of Lagos in Nigeria in 1998 and after spending years practicing in Nigeria, moved to Ireland where he continued practicing for a number of years. In 2011, Dr. Ofuafor received a Diploma in Clinical Psychiatry from the Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and in 2013, became a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, United Kingdom. He and his family moved to Saskatchewan in 2016 where he has been a member of the psychiatry team.
“We are so pleased to welcome Dr. Olusola Awoniyi and Dr. Thomas Ofuafor to CKHA and the community of Chatham-Kent,” said Dr. Pervez Faruqi, CKHA's Chief of Staff. “Their knowledge and expertise will enhance our delivery of high-quality mental health and addictions care.”
Dr. Ofuafor and Dr. Awoniyi’s offices are located at 240 Grand Avenue in Chatham and the intake team can be reached at 519-351-6144 (extension 5051).