EARLY DEPARTURE: NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan to step down this week, not by years-end, as planned

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan is stepping down this Friday, two-and-a-half months earlier than originally announced, according to an internal email he sent to his staff on Tuesday.

In the email, Vasan explained that the decision came after the needs of his family became more urgent. "As I noted in my initial announcement, it’s time for my family’s needs to take precedence, despite how much I love this job, this work, and this agency," Vasan wrote. "Those needs have taken on greater urgency, and I have decided to move up my departure date to this Friday, Oct. 18."

Vasan served for three years as commissioner, and in the statement he noted taking charge during the final stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when health departments across the country were struggling with staffing shortages and a decline in morale. "Reinvigorating public health, strengthening our foundations, and pointing us in new directions was the first order of business in my tenure," Vasan wrote. He praised the department’s leadership team, adding that the Health Department is now stronger and more determined than ever.

Dr. Michelle Morse, the city's chief medical officer and deputy commissioner for the Health Department’s Center for Health Equity and Community Wellness, will serve as interim health commissioner, officials announced.

"As a New Yorker and a proud public servant, I will be cheering the agency’s work from afar, assured that healthier, longer lives for all New Yorkers will continue to be our North Star," Vasan wrote.

"Dr. Vasan has been an invaluable member of our administration, helping set a new standard for how government can improve public health and the well-being of New Yorkers," Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. "While we’re sad to see him leave, we fully respect his decision to prioritize his family’s needs."

Vasan's early departure is the latest in a series of high-profile exits from the Adams administration. Over the past month, at least seven senior city officials have stepped down, including former NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban. His interim replacement, Thomas Donlon, will also step down just weeks after taking office, according to officials.