Washington: US President-elect Joe Biden unveiled his health team on Monday, naming Xavier Becerra as Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Indian-American Dr Vivek Murthy as his Surgeon General.
Dr Anthony Fauci has been named as Chief Medical Adviser to the President on COVID-19, while Dr Rochelle Walensky has been named as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith as COVID-19 Equity Task Force Chair.
“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, Biden said.
This team of world-class medical experts and public servants will be ready on day one to mobilise every resource of the federal government, he 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,” Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said.
Becerra has been a supporter of affordable health care legislation and will now play a key role in the Biden administration’s campaign against the Corona virus. If confirmed by the Senate, Mr. Becerra, 62, will be the first Latino to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Becerra, a former Democrat MP, was instrumental in promoting then President Barack Obama’s health law during 2009–2010.