Dr Vivek Murthy appointed as US representative on WHO executive board

President Joe Biden has nominated US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy to serve as the country's representative on the executive board of the World Health Organisation.

Dr Murthy, 45, will serve in the new position alongside his continued duties as the US Surgeon General, the White House said in a statement.

He was confirmed by the US Senate in March 2021 to serve as the 21st Surgeon General of the country. He previously served as the 19th Surgeon General under President Barack Obama.

As the nation's doctor, the Surgeon General's mission is to help lay the foundation for a healthier country, relying on the best scientific information available to provide clear, consistent and equitable guidance and resources for the public.

"While serving as the 21st Surgeon General, Dr Murthy is focused on drawing attention to and working across government to address a number of critical public health issues, including the growing proliferation of health misinformation, the ongoing youth mental health crisis, well-being and burnout in the health worker community, and social isolation and loneliness," said the White House.

As the Vice Admiral of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Dr Murthy also commands a uniformed service of over 6,000 dedicated public health officers, serving the most underserved and vulnerable populations.

The first Surgeon General of Indian descent, Dr Murthy, was raised in Miami and is a graduate of Harvard, the Yale School of Medicine, and the Yale School of Management, the White House said.

A renowned physician, research scientist, entrepreneur and author, he lives in Washington, DC with his wife Dr Alice Chen, and their two children, it said.

Murthy was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire to immigrants from Karnataka, India.

In 1978, the family moved to Newfoundland, where his father worked as a district medical officer. When he was three years old, the family relocated to Miami.