Additional reporting by political reporter Whatitiri Te Wake
Health director-general Dr Ashley Bloomfield will leave his role in July.
Last year Bloomfield told the public service commissioner Peter Hughes he intended to step down before his term officially ends on June 11, 2023.
Bloomfield will leave his role on July 29 but Hughes will appoint an acting director-general before Bloomfield departs.
"Dr Bloomfield has worked tirelessly for more than two years to keep New Zealanders safe from coronavirus," Hughes said in a statement.
"Dr Bloomfield always wanted to stay until New Zealand was in a good place with coronavirus. That time is now."
Hughes paid tribute to the director general’s role, not just in managing the public health response, but also in fronting the public at the government’s regular Covid-19 media briefings.
'Remarkable resilience'
"I thank Dr Bloomfield for his commitment to public service, his spirit of service to the community and his exceptional contribution to New Zealand's Covid-19 response. I know many New Zealanders will also be thankful for the job he has done.”
"Dr Bloomfield has demonstrated remarkable resilience and courage in leading the health system's overall response to Covid-19. That response has saved lives.
Hughes said Bloomfield planned to enjoy an extended break, as the government's Covid-19 response begins to wind down.
In an email obtained by NZME Bloomfield told Ministry of Health staff it had been a huge privilege to be health director-general.
"I've committed myself wholeheartedly to the role for nearly four years. The DG role is complex and challenging at any time and, with a one in 100 years pandemic, the last two years have been particularly challenging and intense," Bloomfield wrote.
In a post on social media Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern praised Bloomfield for his service throughout the pandemic.
"Through his tireless dedication, his focus on people, his calm and considered approach - he has been a true public servant," she wrote.
'Ash and Chippy show'
Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins took to the government podium today with Bloomfield for what he called “The first episode of the last season of the Ash and Chippy show" and emotionally thanked Bloomfield for the work he had done to protect Aotearoa from Covid-19
“I did want to take this moment to say a very personal thank you to the man that most of New Zealanders know as the DG. As the director-general of health Dr Bloomfield has advised the government at every step of our public health response to Covid-19.”
While the country looked to him for guidance on the coronavirus during the pandemic, he also used the platform to help normalise Te Reo Māori.
“I saw it as my role to use and to normalise what is a taonga for our whole country, not just for Māori,” he said.
His role came with its fair share of hard hits. In November last year, Whānau Ora chief John Tamihere called for Dr Bloomfield to step down following his refusal to give Māori data to Whānau Ora to enable it to have a more targeted approach to help boost Māori vaccination numbers.
Despite that, Dr Bloomfield remains proud of the work done by Māori health organisations.
“The uptake was slower, especially for younger Māori, in our vaccination programme but we kept going at it. And those providers kept going and they just put inevery effort. I'm proud of what we learned and what we achieved” he said.