CEO of Manitoba's Shared Health resigns

Manitoba Shared Health has a sudden vacancy at the top.

The provincial organization announced the resignation of CEOAdam Topp in a two-sentence statement issued Thursday at 5p.m.

He had been in the role for two years, "providing leadership and guidance throughout much of the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing health system transformation and day-to-day delivery of clinical and administrative services at the core of Shared Health's mandate," the organization said in a statement.

Toppstarted as Shared Health's CEO under former Progressive Conservativepremier Brian Pallister and continued in the job under Pallister's successor,Heather Stefanson.

In a statement, Health Minister Audrey Gordon thanked Topp for his service.

"Manitobans can be assured that during these transitional times, the health system will be there for patients," Gordon said.

"We look forward to the announcement of the incoming CEO in the coming days."

Topp's resignation was announced one day after opposition leaders chided Gordon for declining to read a Shared Health-commissionedreport that made 30 recommendations for improving health care in Manitoba.

That report concludedmore health-care workersare burned out in Manitoba thanelsewhere in Canada.

But NDPLeader Wab Kinew did not draw any connection between the Shared Health report and Topp's departure, saying"this just seems to be the latest domino to fall."

"Everyone in Manitoba knows that health care is in crisis and that the PC government under Heather Stefanson has failed to take action to improve the situation," Kinew said in an interview.

Shared Health has deleted Topp'sbiography and employment agreement from its website. He earned $259,223 as CEO in 2021, according to Shared Health's most recent compensation disclosure.

Topp previously served as Manitoba's director of health transformation, and in senior roles at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg and Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, among other jobs.