The City of Belleville Signs Dr. Viraj S. Sidhu to Doctor Recruitment Program

The City of Belleville is pleased to announce the signing of Dr. Viraj S. Sidhu into the Belleville Doctor Recruitment Program. Dr. Sidhu is the seventh physician signed this year and will begin practicing medicine in Belleville before the end of 2024.

“Dr. Sidhu will be a great addition to the team of family doctors practicing in Belleville and we are pleased to welcome him back to Ontario,” said Mayor Neil Ellis. “Belleville City Council knows that he will help improve the lives of many in our community who do not have a family doctor through his work at a local walk-in clinic and in other health care settings throughout the city. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Sidhu!”

“I am thrilled to be returning home to Ontario as a Family Physician with an interest in various office-based procedures,” said Dr. Viraj S. Sidhu. “I am looking forward to providing compassionate care to individuals and families in this community. I would like to thank the City of Belleville for making the transition for my family and I from the US to Canada as smooth as possible.” 

Although healthcare and physician recruitment are not a municipal responsibility, the City of Belleville has recognized the shortcomings of the Provincial Health Care system and has implemented one of the most successful recruitment programs in the province, recruiting 50 physicians and six nurse practitioners. The program is funded by the dividends the City receives as a shareholder of Elexicon Energy and to date, over $6 million has been committed to attracting primary healthcare providers.

For residents in need of a family physician or a nurse practitioner, it is important to register with Health Care Connect (HCC). HCC is a resource used by physicians and government agencies to place patients with physicians and can be relied upon by doctors and nurse practitioners when developing or expanding their roster of patients. Registering with HCC is the key to finding primary health care in Ontario. You can register with HCC by calling 1-800-445-1822 (TTY 1-800-387-5559) or by visiting the HCC website.