Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo Ige resigns, mayor's office says

Saturday, May 23, 2026 7:02PM CT
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo "Simbo" Ige has resigned, Mayor Brandon Johnson's office announced Saturday.



"Mayor Johnson has accepted Dr. Ige's letter of resignation," a statement from a mayor's office spokesperson read. "We thank her for her expertise and years of service as Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). Mayor Johnson will work expeditiously to identify a permanent replacement while First Deputy Commissioner Fikirte Wagaw will serve as Acting Commissioner."

Dr. Olusimbo Ige

City of Chicago



Former commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, who led the Department of Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic, was fired by Mayor Brandon Johnson in August 2023.



Mayor Johnson appointed Dr. Ige as the new CDPH commissioner in November 2023.

No further details about Dr. Ige's resignation were immediately available.

This is a developing story.
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