JACKSON (AP) — One of the many challenges faced by new interim state health officer Dr. Ed Thompson is a rise in Mississippi’s infant mortality rate among African-Americans over the past decade.

As the state’s rate climbed, the nation’s dropped.

‘‘That is absolutely unacceptable,’’ Thompson said.

Thompson, a former state health officer and top official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been charged with returning the state Health Department to its former prominence.

Problems in the agency under former health officer Dr. Brian Amy and the previous Board of Health led lawmakers to get rid of both.

The new board appointed Thompson on Monday as interim head of the agency he ran for nine years.

He has hired new staff members and shifted others to address problems.

He said a key new hire is Dr. Mary Currier as interim state epidemiologist.

She served more than 10 years in the same position before leaving for the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She will split time between UMC and the department, just as Thompson, chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine at UMC, is doing.

‘‘She knows the ropes,’’ Thompson said. ‘‘She’s a big asset.’’

The change will allow Dr. Lovetta Brown, who had been handling the duties, to work on eliminating health disparities in Mississippi.

Thompson said Brown’s task is important because African-Americans have a greater rate of tuberculosis, syphilis and infant mortality.

Thompson said he wants the department to do a better job of examining mortality cases involving infants treated by the Health Department.

He also has undone some of the reorganization by Amy, who among other changes put state Dental Director Nicholas Mosca in charge of communications and vital statistics in addition to his regular duties.

The changes have drawn praise from Dr. Luke Lampton, of Magnolia, new chairman of the Board of Health.

‘‘Dr. Thompson is very focused on making the right moves to improve the agency,’’ Lampton said. ‘‘I’m impressed with his energy level and commitment to the job.’’

Lampton said the biggest role for Thompson will be using his national connections to help the board find a permanent replacement for Amy.

The board hopes to choose a new state health officer within the next several months.