Dr. Vivek H. Murthy was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2021 to serve as the 21st Surgeon General of the United States….reports Asian Lite News
US President Joe Biden has nominated US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy to serve as the country’s representative on the executive board of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Dr Murthy, 45, will serve in the new position alongside his continued duties as the US Surgeon General, the White House said in a statement.
Dr. Vivek H. Murthy was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2021 to serve as the 21st Surgeon General of the United States. He previously served as the 19th Surgeon General under President Obama.
As the Nation’s Doctor, the Surgeon General’s mission is to help lay the foundation for a healthier country, relying on the best scientific information available to provide clear, consistent, and equitable guidance and resources for the public.
“While serving as 21st Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy is focused on drawing attention to and working across government to address a number of critical public health issues, including the growing proliferation of health misinformation, the ongoing youth mental health crisis, well-being and burnout in the health worker community, and social isolation and loneliness,” the statement added.
As the Vice Admiral of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Dr. Murthy also commands a uniformed service of over 6,000 dedicated public health officers, serving the most underserved and vulnerable populations.
The first Surgeon General of Indian descent, Dr. Murthy was raised in Miami and is a graduate of Harvard, the Yale School of Medicine, and the Yale School of Management. A renowned physician, research scientist, entrepreneur, and author, he lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Dr. Alice Chen, and their two children.
Murthy served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States, from December 15, 2014 to April 21, 2017.
Known for his soft spoken demeanour, he is the author of NYT bestseller “Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World”.
Murthy was asked to resign by President Donald Trump in 2017, although he was named to a four year term by ormer President Barack Obama, starting 2014.
While serving as Surgeon General, Murthy fought the spread of Ebola and the Zika virus, among other public health challenges.
In his early years as ER doctor, Murthy treated plenty of gunshot victims and has spoken out consistently against gun violence.
Egged on by an angry gun rights lobby, Senate Republicans ganged up and put Murthy’s nomination for Surgeon General in limbo for many months.