Implementation of a paraprofessional role across the public health sector in Manitoba: Impacts on system capacity.

Setting: Manitoba experiences sexually transmitted and blood-borne infection (STBBI) incidence rates above the national average and fundamental public health sector responses face human resource constraints.

Intervention: Manitoba implemented a paraprofessional role, the Communicable Disease Technician (CD Tech), to complete low-complexity STBBI investigations and support STBBI testing, care engagement initiatives, provider reporting, harm reduction supply distribution, and community engagement. Secondary roles included tuberculosis directly observed treatment (DOT) and virtual DOT, and flu and COVID immunization support.