(a) Subject to the approval of the Department, the Secretary shall appoint for each county in the State a deputy state health officer, who shall be a person trained and experienced in public health. Each deputy state health officer shall be appointed for a term of 4 years and shall devote full time to the duties of office. The deputy health officer shall receive such compensation as is fixed by the Department and necessary expenses, which shall be paid monthly out of state funds.
(b) The Department may remove deputy state health officers for cause, upon charges and after a hearing, and may appoint a suitable person to fill any unexpired term.