Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) and Lee Terry (R-Neb) have introduced a bipartisan bill designed to strengthen the U.S. public health system and improve its infrastructure at all levels of government.
The National Integrated Public Health Surveillance Systems and Reportable Conditions Act, announced on September 15, would aim to improve the ability of states and local governments to analyze local public health problems and take prompt action to address them, Baldwin said.
"Our public health system has greatly improved since the mid-1990s, but is struggling to keep pace with the many threats to the safety of our families," said Baldwin. "In Wisconsin and across the country, our local public health departments are protecting us on many fronts Ð ensuring the safety of our food, air and water and preventing and controlling disease outbreaks. We must provide them with all the tools they need to keep people safe."
According to Towns, the bill would provide "a much-needed transformation" by enhancing surveillance mechanisms, establishing a comprehensive national electronic disease-reporting system and increasing the capacity for quick response time.
"This is an extremely important bill," Terry said. "Today local public health departments must confront increased disease outbreaks, emerging infections, pandemic flu and environmental health threats."
The bill will help create a "seamless, rapid flow of information," he added.
The bill would enhance existing programs and staffing levels at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and authorizes, for the first time, a process for determining a list of diseases and conditions that must be reported to federal, state or local health officials.
Frances Pouch Downes, president of American Public Health Laboratories, said the bill "will significantly advance public health."
The bill has been endorsed by the American Public Health Association, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Association of Public Health Laboratories, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, National Association of County and City Health Officials, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Infectious Diseases Society of America and the National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors.
Do you feel the U.S. public health system needs upgrading? Send your thoughts to Senior Editor Diana Manos at diana.manos@medtechpublishing.com.