Two Indian Americans contesting to be next US health secretary

APD NEWS

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By APD Writer Rishika Chauhan

NEW DELHI, October 2 (APD)— Two Indian Americans are contesting for the coveted post of the US health secretary in Donald Trump’s cabinet.

Seema Verma, who is an eminent healthcare official and former governor Bobby Jindal are currently the top contenders for the position, recently vacated by Tom Price.

Other prominent candidates include senior health official Don Wright, Scott Gottlieb, the food and drug administration commissioner and David Shulkin, the veteran affairs secretary.

According to experts, Seema Verma’s chances to be appointed are believed to be good as she figures in most reports. Currently she is heading the medicaid and medicare services of the health and human services.

According to a Hindustan Times report, she has been a “key administration figure” in the on-going attempts to repeal and replace former Obamacare.

Earlier President Trump had said, “Administrator Seema Verma is playing the leading role for us in helping us to repeal and replace Obamacare.”

Verma was also the only non-politician who spoke at a Rose Garden celebration after the passage of a House bill to replace Obamacare in May.

If Verma or Jindal are appointed as the US health secretary, it would be a record second cabinet-rank position from the Indian-origin community after Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)