Recent high-profile case occurred on Sunday, August 9, when the Director of the Department of public health California Sonia Angell was dismissed due to a technical failure in the system. For this reason were blocked hundreds of thousands of tests for viruses that contains information that was to be used for making decisions about the reopening of businesses and schools.
last week was fired by the authorized representative of the Department of health of new York after months of tensions with the police Department and city hall. Another sudden resignation took place on August 10. Jose Vazquez, head of the Department of health Starr County in Texas, resigned after authorities rejected an offer to increase his salary from 5 000 to 10 000 USD per month. Vasquez worked 60 hours a week in the district, which is considered one of the poorest in the United States. As the area was among the most affected by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
In Oklahoma since the beginning of the outbreak in March was dismissed by the state Commissioner of health and the state epidemiologist. In rural areas of the state of Colorado Emily brown was dismissed from the post of Director of the County public health Department Rio Grande after a conflict with local authorities because of the recommendations on resuming activity. Replaced it specialist also resigned.
Journalistic investigation revealed that from April 23 States with 49 state and local health care leaders resigned, retired or were fired. The list increased by more than 20 people in June.
Dr. Tom Frieden, former Director of the Centers for control and prevention (CDC), the United States, called the numbers staggering. According to him, they reflect the trend of the deep disagreements between health professionals and government officials about the fight against coronavirus. However, many dismissals and resignations related to conflicts between doctors and officials due to the different approaches to wearing masks and enforcement of social distancing. Despite the scientific evidence, many politicians and officials in the US claimed that such measures were unnecessary. “It’s not a different approach in relation to health safety, it is a political split,” concluded Freeman.
the Last few months have been “frustrating, tedious and discouraging” for officials of public health, said the former health Commissioner of West Virginia Kathy Slamp, which in June was forced to resign Republican Governor Jim justice. “You care about the community you are committed to their work and social roles that you assign. You feel obligated to serve, but in the current environment it’s really difficult,” said Kemp.
Some representatives of the health sector the US said that they resigned for family reasons and some have moved to other agencies, unable to withstand the busy schedule of work almost seven days a week. They complained that they are overworked, underpaid, underestimated their abilities or forced to work in “unbearable conditions”.
“For me, disagreements, stress and resignation occurring on all sides, are a consequence of the lack of a real national program of measures on the outbreak of the coronavirus,” said Dr. Matt Willis, the health officer of Marin County in Northern California, also resigned.
Many leaders in the field of public health reported the death threats and intimidation. Some learned that their home addresses published on social networks. The main infectious diseases of the United States, Anthony Fauci, said that his wife and daughter had received threats.
According to the latest data in the United States coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 were detected in more than 5 million people died from COVID-19 more than 163 million Americans. This is the highest rate in the world. The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the world August 11 exceeded 20 million died from the deadly infection almost 740 thousand people.
Since 2010, spending on public health departments in the United States decreased by 16 percent, and the amount allocated to local health departments has decreased by 18% . In addition, 38 thousand jobs in the field of public health was reduced after the recession in 2008.
