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It’s been almost a 12 months since KHN’s “What the Well being?” podcast took a deep dive into public well being, and far has modified. Covid, in varied variations, remains to be infecting folks all over the world, together with different communicable illnesses together with monkeypox and even polio. But public well being stays a divisive difficulty, with politicians and the general public alike arguing over how finest to guard the neighborhood with out trampling on people’ rights.
Earlier this summer season, the Commonwealth Fund Fee on a Nationwide Public Well being System referred to as for a serious overhaul of the way in which the U.S. organizes, funds, and communicates about public well being. The report consists of particular suggestions for the Biden administration, Congress, state and native public well being companies, and medical and public well being professionals.
On this particular episode, “What the Well being?” host Julie Rovner and KHN Midwest correspondent Lauren Weber interview the fee’s chair, Dr. Margaret Hamburg. Hamburg is a former commissioner of the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration, former assistant secretary for planning and analysis on the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers, and a former New York Metropolis commissioner of well being.
Hamburg mentioned the fee is advocating for stronger federal management and the event of a nationwide system that higher integrates and coordinates public well being efforts. That features work with states and localities but additionally having federal well being officers coordinate with different federal departments, reminiscent of Training and Transportation, to streamline public well being initiatives. She additionally famous it’s crucial to enhance knowledge assortment and communication with the general public.
Public well being, she mentioned, should be seen as a key component of public security.
You may learn the commission’s report here.
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