Four years later, the meeting seems positively prescient.
“As our population goes up and our funding goes down, I’m concerned about our preparedness,” Dr. Alan Melnick told The Columbian’s Editorial Board in 2017.
Melnick is the Clark County health officer. You might have heard of him; he’s been in the news a bit over the past 12 months or so. A couple years ago, he visited the Editorial Board to talk about public health and, specifically, a bill that was pending in the Legislature.
That proposal, House Bill 1432, was titled “Concerning foundational public health services.” It passed the House by an 86-12 vote but ultimately was ignored by the Senate.
While the details of the legislation are foggy, the coronavirus pandemic has added clarity to the issue of public health and its importance. And it has led to questions about whether or not we have learned our lesson and whether or not Americans will increase their investment in public health.
As the American Public Health Association explains: “Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play. While a doctor treats people who are sick, those of us working in public health try to prevent people from getting sick or injured in the first place. We also promote wellness by encouraging healthy behaviors.”
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