Dr. Ashwin Vasan, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health, announced via email to his team on the morning of the 15th that he will resign early, effective this Friday, the 18th, several months ahead of his previously planned departure. Reports indicate that his decision is primarily due to “urgent family issues.”
Vasan initially submitted his resignation at the end of September, coinciding with a time when Mayor Eric Adams and his administration faced federal investigations. While several key officials within the city government resigned amid these investigations, Vasan has not been implicated in any of them. He previously stated he intended to stay until early next year to focus more on his family.
However, on the evening of the 14th, Vasan released a statement expressing that, despite his deep passion for his role, the family matters had become pressing, leading him to resign sooner than expected.
He also shared that he collaborated with First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer and Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom to create a transition plan to ensure the Department of Health’s operations would not be disrupted.
According to city officials, Dr. Michelle Morse, the chief medical officer and deputy commissioner for health equity and community health centers, will serve as the acting commissioner while the search for Vasan’s permanent successor is underway.
Mayor Adams expressed regret over Vasan’s early resignation but respected his decision to prioritize his family. He emphasized that under Morse’s leadership, the Department of Health would remain stable and uninterrupted.
Vasan’s resignation comes at a time of notable turnover within the Adams administration, as at least seven senior officials have departed in the last month alone, including Vasan. Additionally, Thomas Donlon, the recently appointed acting commissioner of the New York City Police Department, recently announced his resignation after just a few weeks in the role.
Since taking over as commissioner in 2022, Vasan has led the city’s response to public health crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the monkeypox outbreak, while placing a strong emphasis on youth mental health issues.
Dr. Morse was appointed as the city’s first chief medical officer by former Mayor Bill de Blasio in February 2021. A practicing internist, she is responsible for coordinating the Department of Health’s efforts with clinical providers citywide and currently serves as an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.
