Joe Biden unveils his health team; Doctor Vivek Murthy appointed as Surgeon General

US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday, December 7, announced his health team, with Xavier Becerra as Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Indian-American Dr Vivek Murthy as his Surgeon General. Also, Dr Anthony Fauci has been considered as Chief Medical Adviser to the President on COVID-19, with Dr Rochelle Walensky as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith has been considered for COVID-19 Equity Task Force Chair.

Health team unveiled 

Taking to Twitter, Dr Vivek Murthy wrote, “I never dreamed I’d have the honor to once again serve as Surgeon General. In this moment of crisis, I’m grateful for the opportunity to help end this pandemic, be a voice for science, and support our nation on its path to rebuilding and healing”. He shared an image as congratulations messages started pouring in the comment section.

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According to the reports by PTI, Biden said, “This trusted and accomplished team of leaders will bring the highest level of integrity, scientific rigor, and crisis-management experience to one of the toughest challenges America has ever faced – getting the pandemic under control so that the American people can get back to work, back to their lives, and back to their loved ones?”.

He added, “This team of world-class medical experts and public servants will be ready on day one to mobilise every resource of the federal government to expand testing and masking, oversee the safe, equitable, and free distribution of treatments and vaccines, re-open schools and businesses safely, lower prescription drug and other health costs and expand affordable health care to all Americans, and rally the country and restore the belief that there is nothing beyond America's capacity if we do it together”. 

Read: Biden's Health Team Offers Glimpse Of His COVID-19 Strategy

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris also expressed herself as she said, “Containing this coronavirus pandemic and opening our economy responsibly require listening to experts and leaders like the ones we are bringing together on this health care team”. She added, “This is the team that the American people need and deserve to make quality, affordable health care available to all and to help make sure safe and effective vaccines - as well as testing and treatment - are free and equitably distributed”.

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(Image Credits: Twitter/@vivek_murthy)