Three Top Health Bosses in New Zealand Resign in the Span of a Week
Health New Zealand is experiencing a wave of unexpected resignations, with its Chief Executive, Director-General of Health, and Director of Public Health all stepping down within a week.
Dr. Diana Sarfati, New Zealand’s Director General of Health, announced her departure on Feb. 21, becoming the third senior figure to resign from Health NZ in a short period.
The first to leave was Chief Executive Fepulea’i Margie Apa on Feb. 7, ending her contract early by mutual agreement and departing immediately.
Three days later, Dr. Nicholas Jones, the Director of Public Health, revealed that his last day in the role would be Feb. 28.
The Health NZ board was replaced in July due to alleged financial incompetence, with Commissioner Lester Levy taking over. Levy’s restructuring proposal, originally due in August, has not been delivered yet.
Furthermore, the Auditor General intervened to prevent Levy from transferring $135 million in expected redundancy costs to the previous financial year’s balance sheet, preventing an artificial inflation of the deficit.
Despite retaining his position, Levy’s Minister, Dr. Shane Reti, was removed from the health portfolio and had his cabinet ranking reduced, with Simeon Brown taking over.
Health New Zealand is now searching for a replacement for Apa, with her $900,000-a-year role being vacated. Apa had led the organization since its establishment in 2022.
Amid a forecasted deficit of over $1.1 billion, Health New Zealand anticipates three years of cost-cutting efforts.
The organization’s latest statement of performance, released in December, outlined plans to save approximately $660 million in the current financial year through voluntary staff redundancies, role consolidations, and streamlined functions.
While frontline clinical care is expected to remain unaffected, certain cuts target the Public Health Service, responsible for immunizations and outbreak monitoring.
The series of resignations has been described as a “bloodbath” by Labour’s acting health spokesperson, Peeni Henare, warning that the Prime Minister’s decision to remove key health leaders may have negative repercussions in the future.
