Trump picks New York doctor Nesheiwat to be next US surgeon general

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday selected Dr Janette Nesheiwat, a New York medical director with family ties to his first administration and a Fox News contributor, to be the next surgeon general of the United States. "She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare, and believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health to live longer, healthier lives," Trump said in a social media post.
Nesheiwat is one of five New York City medical directors for CityMD, a chain of urgent care centres across the region, according to a spokesperson. She has contributed to Fox News since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, speaking about Covid-19, mpox and the importance of cancer screening tests, among other topics.
Her sister Julia Nesheiwat, a former Army officer, was homeland security adviser in the first Trump administration and is married to Rep Mike Waltz of Florida, whom Trump has tapped to be national security adviser.
Often called "the nation's doctor," the surgeon general is responsible for leading thousands of public health officers and communicating key health information to the public. Dr C Everett Koop, perhaps the most influential surgeon general in the history of the office, played a key role in changing attitudes about smoking some 40 years ago.
The job is currently held by Dr Vivek Murthy, who has sought to draw more attention to mental health issues. He wants to require a surgeon general's warning label for social media and calls loneliness and isolation a public health crisis. "Dr Nesheiwat has big shoes to fill in succeeding Dr Murthy, a leader who spoke to healing our rifts as a nation," said Dr Dave Chokshi, a former New York City health commissioner.
CityMD has had a major impact on medical care. Many New Yorkers find it more convenient to drop by one of its storefront clinics than book an appointment with their primary care doctor because they are open on weekends and into the evenings. During the first year of the pandemic, long lines outside CityMD clinics were a common sight. nyt