Expert says public health the weakest link in Homeland security

Oct 8, 2003 12:00 PM

While there have been initial investments, including nearly $2 billion in federal funds, devoted to improving public health defenses since the Sept. 11 attacks, more needs to be done. So says Shelley A. Hearne, DrPH, executive director of trust for America's Health and visiting scholar at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, who maintains that public health remains the weakest link of homeland security.

"The anthrax attacks two years ago undeniably demonstrated the crucial, pivotal role that our public health system plays in our national defense," Hearne says. "Unfortunately, they also demonstrated the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of that system, which had been woefully neglected and under-funded during the past 30 years."

Hearne points out that budget crises at the state and local levels threaten to undermine any advancements.

"We don't know if the next big health threat will come in the form of biological or chemical terrorism or from nature," Hearne says. "What we do know is that if we continue down our current path, we won't be prepared to respond to a threat in either form."

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