After the reshuffling of the Union Cabinet on 7 July, Wednesday, the crucial health portfolio has been handed over to Mansukh Mandaviya. He will also be taking over the Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers.
Mandaviya, a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, was one of the seven who were promoted in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet reshuffle.
Mandaviya's appointment to health minister comes in the backdrop of criticism over the government's handling of the second wave of COVID-19.
On Wednesday, former Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan tendered his resignation from the Cabinet along with 11 other heavyweights. Vardhan had been in charge of the health ministry as well as the science and technology ministry, which is now going to be overseen by PM Modi himself.