Misbah Ali

The office of Governor Lamont on July 26, 2021 nominated Dr. Manisha Juthani—a physician of infectious diseases at the Yale School of Medicine—as Connecticut’s Public Health Commissioner.

Dr Manisha, an Indian American will succeed Dr Deidre Gifford to lead the Public Health Department on September 20, 2021, as he is being promoted to the duty of Senior Advisor to the Governor for Health and Human Services.

Dr Manisha praised the leadership of the Governor and Dr Gifford—in helping Connecticut fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic and said that she will continue with those efforts.

After completing a BA degree in Biological Basis of Behaviour from the University of Pennsylvania, she studied at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

She completed residency training at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Campus and was a chief resident at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In 2002, she joined Yale as part of a fellowship training and thereafter started working there as a faculty member.

Governor Ned Lamont praised Dr Manisha to have been recommended by “top experts” and that her experience with infectious diseases will benefit Connecticut’s response to the pandemic. He also stated that Connecticut has been doing good with the vaccinations, however, there is a need for sound policies to keep the rate of transmission low.

“Dr. Juthani’s background in infectious diseases will be a tremendous benefit to the people of Connecticut as we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen our vaccination efforts. When seeking candidates to serve in this role, Dr. Juthani came recommended by many top experts in this field, and I am thrilled to have her join our administration,” Governor Lamont said.

“I’m incredibly proud that Connecticut is among the leading states in vaccinating our residents, but as this pandemic continues, we need to implement sound policies that will keep the rates of transmission as low as possible,” he added.

Replying to the Governor, Juthani tweeted, "I am so honored to serve as the next Commissioner of Connecticut Department of Public Health. advocating for public health during this pandemic and beyond is the opportunity of a lifetime. I look forward to serving the citizens of CT."