ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Dr. Faisal Khan, acting director of the St. Louis County Department of Health.
St. Louis County Department of Health Director Faisal Khan will step down from his position on September 2.
Khan submitted his letter of resignation to St. Louis County Executive Sam Page on Thursday but did not give a reason for his departure. An interim director will be named prior to his last day, according to a statement from Page's office.
"Over the next two months, I will work to ensure continuity of effort and a seamless transition plan for all operations of the Department of Public Health," he wrote.
Page named Khan acting director of the health department in February 2021. He previously worked at the department from 2010 to 2018, first as director of communicable disease control services and later as department director.
Khan was embroiled in controversy last summer after he flipped off a crowd at a St. Louis County Council meeting. Afterward, in a two-page letter to Chair Rita Heard Days, he claimed the crowd directed "racist, xenophobic and threatening behavior" toward him prior to the meeting, during which Khan pleaded for a mask mandate.
In November, the St. Louis County Council voted not to confirm Khan as permanent health director after a heated meeting surrounding a mask ordinance. Khan sent an email to employees before the vote, telling them to ignore “the lunatic fringe.”
Page sent an email to all county employees a week later telling them to "treat and talk about our constituents respectfully," though Page has demonstrated support for Khan throughout the challenges of the pandemic. Khan, like many health directors across the country, faced intense criticism, including threats against his life, for using science and data in decision making during the pandemic, Page says.
"We appreciate the passion and leadership of Dr. Khan and wish him well in his next chapter," Page said in a statement Thursday.
In a statement, Khan thanked Page for his support and trust.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to have worked in public service with selflessly dedicated professionals who will continue their selfless commitment to the health and wellbeing of the residents of St. Louis County," Khan says.
