Make public health a priority

Public health is among the essential government functions that our legislators seek to preserve as they attempt to close the gaping revenue hole facing the state.

In 1999, the state fund that supported local public health agencies was dissolved by the voters’ rejection of the motor vehicle tax. The fund has not been replaced. Since then, there has been an inexorable downward trend in local public health agencies’ capacity to meet the needs of their communities. In the past year, the equivalent of 300 public health workers lost their jobs, signifying the loss of vital services to communities at a time that they can ill afford it.

Our state’s public health system is fragile. It showed its mettle during the fall’s H1N1 pandemic influenza second wave, but other public health functions went unattended for weeks while workers were pulled from their regular duties to respond. The far more severe disaster in Haiti is a stark reminder of the grave consequences of inadequate public health infrastructure. Furthermore, much of today’s lack of investment in prevention and health protection programs will not be apparent for years.

It is time for our legislators to find a stable funding source for public health.

Kim Marie Thorburn, M.D., M.P.H.

President, Washington State Public Health Association

Spokane