Horacio Arruda

Horacio Arruda is a Canadian physician and public health administrator from Quebec.

Horacio Arruda is a Canadian physician and public health administrator from Quebec. He served for many years as Quebec’s national director of public health and assistant deputy minister at the Ministry of Health and Social Services, and became widely known during the COVID-19 pandemic. He resigned from that role in January 2022 and later continued work in health-related policy.

Early life and education

Arruda was born in Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec, in 1960. He earned his medical degree from the Université de Sherbrooke in 1983 and later completed specialist training in community health and preventive medicine in 1988.

Public health career

He worked in Quebec’s public health system for decades, including roles at the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Institut national de santé publique du Québec. He became national director of public health in 2012.

Role during the COVID-19 pandemic

Arruda was a prominent public face of Quebec’s response to COVID-19, frequently appearing alongside provincial leaders in briefings and media interviews. He became widely recognized by the public during the crisis.

Resignation and later work

Arruda resigned as national director of public health on 10 January 2022 after criticism of Quebec’s handling of the fifth wave of COVID-19. By 2024, reports said he was still working in health policy rather than public-facing public health leadership.