State Names Interim Dean of Department of Health Services

AUSTIN (AP/STAFF) � The Texas Department of State Health Services has named an interim commissioner to temporarily replace David Lakey, who helped coordinate state response to the first case of Ebola in the U.S. The department announced Friday that its associated commissioner, Kirk Cole, (pictured) will replace Lakey effective Sunday. Forthcoming is the appointment of a chief medical executive licensed to practice medicine, who will advise Cole on health issues. Lakey was in charge of the department when Liberian Thomas Duncan was confirmed to have Ebola and later died in Dallas. Lakey announced his resignation January 7 and joined the UT Health Northeast in Tyler and The University of Texas System. Dr. Lakey will serve as Senior Vice President for Population Health at UT Health Northeast and as Associate Vice Chancellor for the UT System. His stepping down wasn’t related to an ongoing no-bid contract scandal at Health and Human Services that has prompted the resignation of several officials.