Former US Surgeons General Speak Out On HHS Leadership Under RF Kennedy Jnr.

By Adebowale Bello. B.Tech Microbiology, Freelance Health Writer. Editorially reviewed by the DLHA team.

Official portrait of Robert F. Kennedy Jnr., 26th US Secretary of Health and Human Services. Appointed by President Donald J. Trump and assumed office on February 13, 2025. 

Expertise is not a privilege, it is a public necessity and leadership in health should not be a political trophy.

October 9, 2025: Six former U.S Surgeons General—Vivek Murthy, Jerome Adams, Antonia Novello, Richard Carmona, David Satcher and Joycelyn Elders—have spoken out, together, against Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the United States Health and Human Services Secretary. In an open letter, they warned that he is leading the country down a dangerous path, one where ideology overshadows evidence and science loses its place in policy.

Their joint statement, which was published on October 7 2025 in the Washington Post accused Kennedy of promoting conspiracy theories, dismissing evidence, and silencing expert advice. For them, the issue isn’t about politics, it's about the survival of credible science and the public’s right to truth. 

While this crisis may seem distant, it's a sobering reflection that is painfully familiar to Africans where political loyalty, not expertise, often determines who leads in public health.

When Public Health Leadership Turns Its Back on Science

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. built his public identity on challenging vaccines and public health institutions. For years, his name was synonymous with distrust of scientific consensus. When he was appointed U.S Health Secretary, that skepticism became official policy.

Within months, there were reports of internal turmoil at the Department of Health and Human Services, with career scientists being fired, some voluntarily leaving and morale declining. For the six former Surgeons General who had served under both Republican and Democratic presidents, this was an existential red line. They warned that Kennedy’s leadership “places lives at risk” and undermines the very foundation of evidence-based health.

This isn’t simply about one man. It’s about what happens when leadership ignores the role that science and not charisma plays in making a health system trustworthy in the first place. For a country that once led global public health responses, the statement is more than a rebuke, it is a red flag.

The Real-World Cost of Silencing Science

Good leadership in public health is not about being in charge rather it’s about being accountable to evidence. It means listening to those who understand the science even when their advice is unpopular. However, when experts are sidelined, data is ignored and policies lose coherence, the cost is long-term as a generation of professionals learn that truth is negotiable, evidence is optional and loyalty is rewarded more than integrity.

In the U.S, several scientists have already resigned in protest over interference in decision-making. In Africa, such resignations may go unnoticed, not because they don’t happen, but because dissent is stifled or discouraged.

Why This Debate Echoes Beyond America

At first glance, this may seem like a U.S political drama but the underlying issue is universal; what happens when health leadership becomes ideological rather than scientific? Every nation depends on credible voices to guide public health policy and once that credibility is compromised, the damage can spread faster than any virus.

Public health depends on trust and when citizens no longer trust official information, you can’t vaccinate a population, prevent an outbreak or convince communities to improve their hygiene without being met with stiff resistance. The COVID-19 pandemic showed how misinformation can undermine years of progress in a matter of weeks. The situation unfolding in Washington, United States is therefore not merely political theatre; it’s a case study in the consequences of ignoring science.

Why This Matters for Africa

African countries have fought hard to strengthen public health systems after decades of neglect, weak governance and donor dependency, yet in many cases, leadership selection still prioritises political alignment or personal loyalty over professional competence.

If the United States with its robust institutions and technical expertise can face this kind of leadership crisis, African countries cannot assume immunity. The stakes are even higher here, where fragile systems depend heavily on public trust and international support. Imagine an African health ministry led by someone who publicly dismisses vaccines or doubts scientific consensus on outbreaks, the result would not just be misinformation; it would be measurable harm through missed immunisations, delayed interventions and preventable deaths.

This is why the current U.S controversy should concern every African policymaker and public health advocate as it highlights the need to protect health institutions from politics and ensure that leadership remains anchored in expertise.

What African Leaders Can Learn

When African governments prioritize technical merit in leadership appointments, they can reinforce trust in their health systems. There’s a quiet kind of courage that public health demands, the courage to tell hard truths when they’re inconvenient. African countries need more of that.

Health ministries need to make science-based decision-making a standard, non-negotiable practice with independent advisory boards and transparent communication policies. Public health leaders must also learn to communicate evidence effectively as credibility is not only about having the right qualifications, it’s also about speaking clearly and honestly, especially in times of crisis.

Wrap Up

The U.S Surgeons General did not issue their warning to make headlines, they did it because they understood that when misinformation takes the driver’s seat, everyone pays the price. Their courage to speak out is the kind of integrity every health system should aspire to protect, as it reminds governments and policymakers that credibility in health leadership is fragile and must be protected with vigilance.

For African nations where public health challenges remain deeply intertwined with governance and the health of millions still depends on public trust, the message is urgent. Expertise is not a privilege, it is a public necessity and leadership in health should not be a political trophy, instead it is a scientific trust and like all forms of trust, once broken, it takes generations to rebuild.

Source: The Guardian

Related:

Expertise and Credibility Matter in Public Health Leadership

How May Kennedy's Confirmation As US Secretary of Health Impact Africa?

Published: October 9, 2025

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