PERSON: Kerry Chant

NSW Health

Chief Health Officer

Kerry Gai Chant AO PSM is a 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 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.

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. She is currently the Deputy Secretary, Population and Public Health and Chief Health Officer. 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. 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.

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