Defending Public Health: A Call to Action
Ian L Wong, MSPH
Public Health and Higher Education Professional committed to community well-being through prevention, health promotion, and community efforts.
It has been said that the secret to good health is keeping the promises you made while you were sick. This reminds us that when we're unwell, we often vow to make healthier choices—like eating better or exercising more—to improve our well-being. Our public health system is sick and under pressure as never seen before. The key to a lasting healthy public health system is following through on those commitments we make today, rather than letting them fade away.
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I hope this message finds you well or as well as can be at this time. My name is Ian L. Wong, MSPH, and I have dedicated my career to public health, higher education, and community engagement. With decades of experience addressing critical health challenges—including substance use prevention, emergency preparedness, and health equity—I am more than ever committed to advancing policies that protect and promote community well-being.
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My daughter, who graduated with her MSPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, was in tears because of the election. I did my dad thing and said, 'It will be ok,' and then quickly shifted into public health dad mode. I told her, 'Brooke, they need us public health people now more than ever. We are the guardrails.' This isn’t a political statement; Public Health has been and always will be the 'guardrail,' just as John Snow demonstrated back in 1854
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Public Health Under Threat
Recent federal actions have raised deep concerns about the strength of our public health infrastructure. The Trump administration has implemented measures such as freezing communications from key federal health agencies, including the CDC, FDA, and NIH. Additionally, the removal of critical public health data from federal websites threatens research, transparency, and our ability to respond effectively to health crises. Many of our grant funded programs and projects are under threat or in unknown status
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The Urgency for Collaboration
At a time when health inequities, substance use disorders, youth violence, and emergency preparedness demand our attention, we must work together to reinforce policies that safeguard public health. Through harm reduction strategies, school-based prevention programs, and public health data-sharing efforts, we continue to make a difference—but there is more to be done.
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Join the Conversation
Stronger partnerships between local public health agencies, state leaders, and national policymakers are essential to addressing these challenges. I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with you on advancing public health legislation and ensuring resources reach the communities that need them most.
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If you are interested in joining this critical conversation, please reach out. Together, we can strengthen public health protections and build a healthier future for all. Thank you for your leadership and commitment. I look forward to collaborating with ?you to elevate our voices.
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Ian L. Wong, MSPH
Professor Emeritus of Emergency Medicine, BUSM and Retired Director of the Boston Medical Center Faster Paths Opioid Urgent Care Center 2016-2020 and Founder and Medical Director of Project ASSERT 1994-2020
1 个月Ian so proud to have worked with you on adolescent prevention and to read your call to action. Yes we need to keep our focus on our principles during this insane moment of history with its vicious propaganda, lies and draconian policies that undermine the health of the public. Next March 20th ends my 11 years + term on the DPH and I would like to join in my retirement to defend PH equity and justice. The current attacks on diverse segments of the population ( transgenders, immigrants, Palestinian and those DEI labeled groups) have been launched by President Trump using extralegal means to control the purse strings and cower the opposition.