office of the assistant secretary for health office of the assistant secretary for health the office of the assistant secretary for health (oash) is an operating agency of the united states department of health and human services and the managing personnel body for the united states public health service. the office is under the direction of the assistant secretary for health, who serves as the senior advisor on public health and science issues to the department secretary. the office serves as the focal point for leadership and coordination across the department in public health and science, provides direction to program offices within oash, and provides advice and counsel on public health and science issues to the secretary. prior to 2010, the office was known as the office of public health and science (ophs). organization as of 2018, oash oversees 12 core public health offices, 10 regional health offices, and 10 presidential and secretarial advisory committees. the core offices are: national vaccine program office office of adolescent health office of disease prevention and health promotion office of hiv/aids and infectious disease policy office for human research protections office of minority health office of population affairs office of research integrity office of the surgeon general public health service commissioned corps office of women's health president's council on sports, fitness, and nutrition