Indian-American epidemiologist


Indian-American epidemiologist

He is the president of a New York-based non-profit organization called Fountain House, which focuses on mental health.

FREMONT, CA: Indian-American epidemiologist Dr. Ashwin Vasan was recently appointed as NYC’s new Commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). This was announced on 22nd December by New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams, who said that NYC’s incumbent health commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi, will continue at his post untill March 2022, after which Dr. Ashwin Vasan will replace him.

Dr. Vasan showed his gratitude on Twitter, were he tweeted that he is deeply honored and humbled to join the mayor-elects administration, which is helping New Yorkers fight the coronavirus. Dr. Vasan grew up in Chicago and had been living in New York City for the past decade. He is the president of a New York-based non-profit organization called Fountain House, which focuses on mental health. The vision of the organization is to fight for the dignity and dreams of the people who are living with severe mental illnesses. The non-profit was actively spreading awareness in NYC during the upsurge of the covid-19 virus in 2020, warning people that it was spreading faster than everyone ever expected. Dr. Ashwin Vasan is also a seasoned mental health expert and a professor at Columbia University in the department of public health.

Dr. Vasan has a remarkable education record, which includes a Master of Science degree in Epidemiology from the well-known Harvard University, an MD from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Addressing the sharp rise in coronavirus cases in NYC, Dr. Vasan commented that it spread faster than anyone imagined. Still, the city is prepared and will continue to focus on vaccinations and testing. The health department will continue to execute strategies to keep people out of the hospitals and protect them from the severe consequences of the virus.