Virtual Forum—Fighting For Our Lives: Public Health Historical Context for COVID-19
Aug 13, 2020
On Thursday, August 13th, Health & Medicine hosted part one of a two-part forum series sharing a historical look at our public health infrastructure, spending, and workforce, which has been spotlighted by COVID-19. In 2019, the U.S. ranked #1 for being the most prepared for a pandemic.
How did the U.S. rank so well in pandemic preparedness but have such major problems in its overall response to COVID-19? While it’s worth looking at the actions of individual elected and appointed officials, a crucial part of the story is the history and current state of our public health system.
Chicago Health Justice Forum: A Virtual Discussion
Fighting For Our Lives: Public Health Historical Context For COVID-19 Pt. 1
Thursday, August 13th, 4-5:30 pm CT
We explored such questions as:
- How has funding and workforce investment in public health changed over time?
- What decisions shaped the public health system in the decades leading up to COVID-19?
- What are the links among divestment from public health, long-term patterns of health inequity, and root causes, such as racism and other systems of oppression?
- What kind of public health system do we need to advance health justice and to be prepared for current and future public health challenges?
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Moderator: Linda Rae Murray, MD, MPH, Health & Medicine board member, Past President of the American Public Health Association
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Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH Executive Director, Harris County Public Health, Houston, TX
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Sandra Martell, DNP, MS, Public Health Administrator, Winnebago County Health Department
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Stephen A. Martin, Jr., PhD, MPH, Executive Director, CPASS Foundation
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Months ago, public health was not even a section in most news publications. In the era of COVID-19, public health is front and center in publications and public discourse. Yet, public health topics––both the field of practice and the relevant issues––were there all along. Our society lacks a sustained commitment to public health.
What does this cost us in terms of health inequity, reduced well-being, and loss of life on an ongoing basis? How can we build a strong public health system moving forward?
This two-part forum series included an exploration of the history of public health within the context of austerity and privatization. We explored opportunities to develop a stronger constituency for the public health system.
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