Dr. Ashwin Vasan, the previous commissioner of the New York Metropolis Division of Well being and Psychological Hygiene, spoke with the Amsterdam Information concerning the work he has achieved on the division, the packages and tasks he has overseen whereas commissioner, and the challenges New York nonetheless faces. This interview was carried out the day earlier than he left workplace. It has been edited and condensed for readability.
AmNews: Please inform the readers of the paper about your legacy as commissioner of the New York Metropolis Division of Well being and Psychological Hygiene?
Dr. Ashwin Vasan (AV): I’m so happy with the work we’ve achieved over the past three years. Once I was appointed on the finish of 2021, we have been within the throes of COVID-19 with Omicron. To play a component in main us out of . . . COVID … Then Mpox hit, after which issues like polio and measles got here up, so we had these recurring crises, however within the background, we have been doing a couple of issues. We re-oriented town towards the frequent well being agenda, HEALTHY NYC. We received that handed into legislation and now that would be the everlasting planning construction for town.
We made unbelievable investments in psychological well being, particularly youth psychological well being, and overdose prevention. At the moment, we simply introduced we had the primary discount in overdose deaths in 4 years, so we’re turning the tide on that. We stood up after the Dobbs resolution on abortion and have become a nationwide chief in abortion entry and reproductive well being. We addressed affordability of healthcare. Over the following three years, we’ll be clearing $2 billion in medical debt from 500,000 low-income households and launched an workplace of healthcare accountability to enhance value transparency. We’ve invested in maternal well being and launched the citywide doula program.
The record goes on. We did all of that whereas strengthening our information techniques internally, investing in our folks and our resilience.
Morale is excessive within the division. In our final workforce survey, 84% of our workers stated they’re completely satisfied and glad with their work and the surroundings right here. That was a lot larger than once I arrived and understandably so, as a result of folks have been nonetheless affected by the pandemic and dealing so laborious and traumatized.
All alongside the way in which, we’ve tried to make sure that fairness isn’t a aspect undertaking however somewhat foundational to our inhabitants well being objectives.
We will’t obtain HEALTHY NYC except we’re specializing in Black lives, Brown lives, low-income communities, individuals who have been left behind, marginalized folks. It’s quite a bit. Once I look again on it, I’m very proud that we did a lot in such a comparatively brief period of time. I’ve been right here nearly twice so long as my predecessors …, and I’m terribly happy with this work.
AmNews: How do you are feeling concerning the initiatives and packages you’ve overseen throughout your tenure, given your departure?
AV: A part of the explanation why I’m assured in leaving, regardless that I’m unhappy, is the folks now we have. We’ve got 7,000 improbable workers right here who care a lot concerning the metropolis, who get up on daily basis attempting to serve and enhance well being and justice within the metropolis, and now we have Dr. Morse. It’s her time to step up and she or he’s prepared. It’s going to stretch her prefer it stretched me. It’s going to check her prefer it examined me, prefer it checks all people. However she’s an excellent chief and she’s going to maintain us going within the instructions that now we have specified by the post-COVID period. I’m actually proud. Bittersweet to go away, however leaving with my head very excessive.
AmNews: What are your plans as soon as you allow the New York Metropolis Division of Well being and Psychological Hygiene?AV: I’m nonetheless on the college at Columbia and I’m going again for the second. We’ll see what occurs subsequent. New York is my residence and I’m nonetheless going to be on Group New York.
