Rahul Gupta, MD has resigned from his post as commissioner and state health officer for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, effective Nov. 5. Gupta is moving to the March of Dimes as its senior vice president and chief medical and health officer.

Gupta has been commissioner for public health since 2015. Before that, he was the director of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department.

Gupta said he feels that his West Virginia work connects closely to the new position at the national headquarters of the March of Dimes in Washington D.C.

“It really has become for me a concern about what happens to the future generation in terms of addictions – whether it’s obesity, tobacco or drugs/mental health,” he said.

Gupta said the March of Dimes position will allow him the opportunity to focus more on mothers and babies and how obesity, tobacco and drugs impact prematurity, birth defects and infant and maternal mortality.

In so doing, he hopes to address the problems facing the next generation.

The DHHR said they intend to do a nationwide search for his replacement.

Gupta has been commissioner for public health since 2015. Before that, he was the director of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department.

Gupta said he feels that his West Virginia work connects closely to the new position at March of Dimes.

“It really has become for me a concern about what happens to the future generation in terms of addictions – whether it’s obesity, tobacco or drugs/mental health,” he said.

Gupta said the March of Dimes position allows him the opportunity to focus more on moms and babies and how obesity, tobacco and drugs impact prematurity, birth defects and infant and maternal mortality.

He said that by working with moms and babies he hopes to address the problems facing the next generation. He will be based at the national March of Dimes office in Washington, DC.

Gupta’s last day is November 5th. The DHHR said they intend to do a nationwide search for his replacement.