Vivek Murthy, the first Indian-American appointed by the Barack Obama regime as the Surgeon-General, has been dismissed by the Trump administration to bring new leadership to the vital public health sector.

Mr. Murthy (39) has been replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first nurses to serve as Surgeon-General.

“Murthy, the leader of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, was asked to resign from his duties as Surgeon-General after assisting in a smooth transition into the new Trump administration,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement on Friday.

Reason unclear

“Murthy has been relieved of his duties as Surgeon-General and will continue to serve as a member of the Commissioned Corps,” the statement said.

Mr. Murthy was confirmed as U.S. Surgeon-General in December 2014.

It was not immediately clear why Mr. Murthy was relieved from duty, The New York Times said while noting that employees at the Department of Health and Human Services privately expressed surprise at his sudden departure.