Indian-American Vivek Murthy is set to be entrusted with a big role in Joe Biden's health care team. Murthy, the former US Surgeon General, presently co-chairs the Biden-Harris Transition's Covid-19 task force.
President-elect Joe Biden is expected to announce his choice for Health and Human Services Secretary next week. Murthy's name is also doing the rounds for his earlier role of Surgeon General.
A known critic of gun violence, Murthy had treated plenty of gunshot victims during his early years as ER doctor.
Murthy served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States, from December 15, 2014 to April 21, 2017.
Known for his soft spoken demeanour, he is the author of NYT bestseller "Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World".
Murthy was asked to resign by President Donald Trump in 2017, although he was named to a four year term by ormer President Barack Obama, starting 2014.
While serving as Surgeon General, Murthy fought the spread of Ebola and the Zika virus, among other public health challenges.
Egged on by an angry gun rights lobby, Senate Republicans ganged up and put Murthy's nomination for Surgeon General in limbo for many months.
On Thursday, Biden also spoke with Anthony Fauci who leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Biden told CNN he's making Fauci a chief medical adviser and a member of his Covid-19 advisory team.
(With agency inputs)
