A new family physician has come to Sarnia, but many more are still needed.
Dr. Mercy Akinsipe will be taking over for the retiring Dr. Cynthia Arnold October 1.
Physician Recruitment Taskforce of Sarnia Lambton Recruitment Coordinator Carly Cox said the task force has brought in 31 family physicians to the community, and they're working on attracting more.
"In the next five years we have 13 family physicians that are expected to retire in Lambton County, so we absolutely have to replace those," said Cox. "On top of that, we are still underserviced by 11 family doctors."
She said a high number of local residents still don't have a primary doctor, which results in longer wait time in hospitals and walk-in clinics.
"We anticipate 15,000 Lambton County residents don't have a doctor, so they're absolutely going to the emergency rooms, using walk-in clinics, and really filling up those waiting rooms for emergencies."
Dr. Akinsipe will be accepting new patients in the coming months at 481 London Rd. after she becomes more familiar with the patients acquired from Dr. Arnold.
She attended McMaster University, received her medical degree at Ross University in the small Caribbean country of Dominica, and completed a Family Medicine Residency at North Florida Regional Medical Centre.
Akinsipe is relocating from Toronto with her four-year-old daughter Olivia and her husband Akin.
Dr. Mercy Akinsipe, her four-year-old daughter Olivia, and husband Akin.