Ashley Bloomfield resigns from his role as Director-General of Health

By MiNDFOOD

<em>Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images</em>
Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
Director-General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced he will be stepping down from his role.

Dr Ashley Bloomfield, who has served as New Zealand’s Director-General of Health since 2018, will be stepping down from his role in July.

In a statement released this morning, 6 April, Public Service Commissioner Peter Hughes said Bloomfield has signalled late last year that he planned to step down from his role before the official end of his term on 11 June 2023.

“Dr Bloomfield has worked tirelessly for more than two years to keep New Zealanders safe from coronavirus,” Hughes said.

“Dr Bloomfield has demonstrated remarkable resilience and courage in leading the health system’s overall response to Covid-19. That response has saved lives.

“I thank Dr Bloomfield for his commitment to public service, his spirit of service to the community and his exceptional contribution to New Zealand’s Covid-19 response. I know many New Zealanders will also be thankful for the job he has done.”

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Bloomfield has been a “true public servant.”

“There’s not many public servants I have got to know as well as Dr Ashley Bloomfield. In every sense of the word – through his tireless dedication, his focus on people, his calm and considered approach – he has been a true public servant,” Ardern shared on social media.

“He has been central to our COVID success as a nation, and he’s done it with humour and grace (I’ll keep the details of his sporadic mockery of me to myself!) When we spoke about his decision to move on, he mentioned that he wanted to spend time with his family, and that’s the least we owe him. So kia ora from across the Motu, Dr Bloomfield. We thank you.”

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