Dr Vivek Murthy, an Indian-American physician nominated as US’s Surgeon General by President Joe Biden, has told lawmakers that his first and foremost priority, after being confirmed, would be to turn the coronavirus pandemic around. Murthy said the pandemic issue is very personal to him as he lost seven family members to the deadly COVID-19 disease.

Murthy was speaking during his confirmation hearing by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Pensions Committee on Thursday, where he said that the Americans are struggling due to the health crisis.

This is a moment of tremendous suffering for the US, as more than half a million Americans have lost their lives due to the pandemic, including his own family members, the 43-year-old Indian-American said.

“Many more are facing long-term health consequences and stressful financial struggles. If confirmed as the surgeon general my highest priority will be to help end this pandemic,” he said.

“I have had the privilege of serving once before. And the reason I’m back.. is because my priority, first and foremost, is to address COVID to turn this pandemic around.”

The United States is the worst-hit nation by the COVID-19 pandemic as the recorded 28.4 million cases of coronavirus and 508,114 have died in America from the disease. 

The physician further said that amid the pandemic, other issues such as mental health and substance use disorders have worsened, and those are too his priorities. However, he reiterated that his first priority is turn around the pandemic.

Responding to questions, Murthy told lawmakers that he has lost seven family members to COVID-19.

If confirmed by the Senate, Dr Murthy would for the second time occupy the position of America’s Surgeon General. In 2011, President Barack Obama tapped Murthy to serve on the advisory group on prevention, health promotion, and integrative and public health. In 2013, he nominated Murthy to be America’s Surgeon-General.

The Senate Committee has received a record 29 letters in support of Murthy’s nomination.

Murthy was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire to immigrants from Karnataka. When he was three-year-old, the family relocated to Miami.