Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan To Step Down Months Ahead Of Schedule
Ethan Geringer-Sameth Crain’s Health Pulse
New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan will step down Friday, months earlier than planned. The department’s chief medical officer, Dr. Michelle Morse, will take the helm as interim commissioner while the city looks for its next top doctor.
Vasan announced he was leaving his post on September 23 amid a rash of resignations among top administration officials, just days before Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on federal bribery and conspiracy charges. The commissioner has said he is stepping down to spend more time with family but the timing has left the City Hall in a tight spot, having to fill yet another key leadership role amid an exodus of top brass. Vasan previously said he would stay in the role until January to help the department transition to new leadership.
“As noted in the initial announcement of my resignation, it is time for the needs of my family to take precedence, despite how much I love this job, this work, and this agency. Those needs have taken on greater urgency,” Vasan said in a statement announcing his Friday departure.
On Tuesday, Vasan emailed staff that he was leaving Friday and would be replaced by Morse in an interim capacity, according to City Hall spokesman William Fowler.
Morse was appointed the city’s first chief medical officer in 2021 under Mayor Bill de Blasio and is the deputy mayor overseeing the Health Department’s center for health equity and community wellness. She will be the fourth person to lead the department in as many years.
Vasan is not the first outgoing commissioner to head for the exit earlier than planned. Schools Chancellor David Banks abruptly announced he was leaving his post on October 16, after previously saying he would continue in the role until the end of the year. His departure came after federal agents seized his phone as part of the corruption probe ensnaring the mayor, which also involves his brothers, former Deputy Mayor Philip Banks and consultant Terence Banks. His wife, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, also resigned.
“While we are sorry to see him leave, we wholeheartedly respect his decision to prioritize the needs of his family and the greater urgency that those needs demand,” Adams said of Vasan’s new exit date. “The department will not miss a beat as Dr. Michelle Morse steps in as interim commissioner as our national search for a permanent replacement continues.”