At least nine senior health officials with the New York State Health Department have quit in recent months amid the COVID-19 pandemic and concern related to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's response efforts, according to The New York Times.
Those who have left the department, resigned or retired include Elizabeth Dufort, MD, medical director in the division of epidemiology, and Jill Taylor, PhD, director of the department's Wadsworth Center, the newspaper reported, citing state records.
Additionally, the department's deputy commissioner for public health resigned in late summer, and the director of its bureau of communicable disease control stepped down. In January, the state epidemiologist also said she also would not stay in her role, according to the Times.
Five people with direct experience inside the department told the newspaper there has been decreased morale in the department as well as concern about the governor and how health officials were treated.
The concern, at least in part, has been related to control over pandemic policy.
According to the Times, state health officials said they often learned about major policy changes after Mr. Cuomo publicly revealed them, and that they were then asked to ensure health guidance reflected the changes. This includes the decision to have hospitals coordinate vaccination rollout, rather than use plans developed by the department.
Howard Zucker, MD, the state's health commissioner, said in a statement to the Times that the state was facing "an intense period of extraordinary stress and pressure and a different job than some signed onto."
He added, "The Times's point is several staff left — true, and many others joined the agency with the talents necessary to confront this new challenge."
Mr. Cuomo said in an interview with the newspaper that this is evidenced in results in the state, such as improved vaccination rates.
Read the full Times report here.