NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan announced on Monday that he will step down by the end of 2024.
"It has truly been the honor of my lifetime to serve the city I love, where I started and raised a family for nearly 15 years, and to be your Health Commissioner, the city's doctor to 8.3 million fellow New Yorkers," Vasan said. "After nearly three years, I will be leaving my position as commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in early January 2025."
Mayor Eric Adams released a statement following reports of Dr. Vasan's resignation.
"I want to thank Dr. Vasan for his service to New York City since the start of our administration," Adams said in a statement. "His expertise as a mental health expert, coupled with his training as a public health professional, have proven indispensable to our city over the past two-and-a-half years as we've handled rising COVID rates, Mpox outbreaks, and a mental health crisis both on our streets and in our schools."
"But despite all of these events, Dr. Vasan has helped implement new programs that will have a generational impact on New Yorkers — creating programs that will absolve working-class New Yorkers of their medical debt, tackle the teen mental health crisis head on, and aim to increase life expectancy for all New Yorkers," he added. "I appreciate Dr. Vasan's decision to stay on through early next year as we transition to a new commissioner, and we are confident that because of his hard work putting into place critical public health initiatives New York City is and will continue to be a safer and healthier place for a long time to come. I hope all New Yorkers join me in thanking Dr. Vasan and his entire family for their service."
Although the exact date of his departure remains unclear, Vasan will leave his position before the year ends.
Sources told NBC New York that Vasan's resignation is due to personal and family reasons unrelated to any ongoing investigations.
"While this was a hard decision, it was the right one for me and my family," Vasan said. "I also look forward to continuing my clinical work and teaching, while supporting initiatives to advance health, equity, and access across this city and this nation."
