The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a major restructuring, leading to the dismissal of about 10,000 employees from various health agencies, according to AFP.
Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. made the announcement last week, explaining that the move is part of a plan to focus more on preventing chronic diseases.
Employees received layoff notices on Tuesday. Some were informed via email, while others found their access badges deactivated without warning.
The job cuts affect several important agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Some top officials, including Jeanne Marrazzo, who took over from Anthony Fauci at the NIH, have been moved to remote areas in Alaska and Oklahoma.
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Former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said the restructuring has weakened leadership and reduced important knowledge at the agency.
“The FDA as we’ve known it is finished, with most of the leaders with institutional knowledge and a deep understanding of product development and safety no longer employed,” Califf stated.
The restructuring comes as the country faces major public health issues, such as a serious measles outbreak and concerns about a possible bird flu pandemic.
Kennedy’s views on vaccines and infectious diseases, as well as his comments about bird flu, have been controversial.
However, he defended the changes, saying they will improve public health efforts.
“We’re not just cutting bureaucracy,” Kennedy said. “We’re aligning the department with its core mission and focusing on stopping the chronic disease epidemic.”
The layoffs are expected to save HHS about $1.8 billion per year, a small part of its total $1.8 trillion budget.
As part of the restructuring, the department’s 28 divisions will be merged into 15. A new unit called the Administration for a Healthy America will also be created.
Kennedy stressed that the goal is not just to cut costs but to make HHS more effective in protecting public health.
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