Blog Posts : From the President

As I watch the latest reports of the new Avian Influenza A (H7N9) virus in China, I am reminded of the critical role the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plays in our nation’s health security. Since the first cases of H7N9 were detected on April 1, CDC scientists have been working around the clock with international partners to monitor the progress of this new strain of bird flu that has killed seven people, and counting, in Eastern China.

A $3.2 million partnership creates two new public health buildings in Haiti, the Central Office of the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) and the Division of Epidemiology, Laboratory and Research (DELR), that will support the ongoing and important work of the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population.

As we look back on 2012, we are grateful for our many partners. Thank you for advancing CDC’s 24/7 life-saving work to protect us all from health and safety threats. Every day, CDC experts are working behind the scenes and on the frontlines to improve our daily lives and respond to health emergencies. Your generous support and contributions are making a difference and helping CDC save lives.

Six former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) directors (Drs. Foege, Gerberding, Koplan, Mason, Roper and Satcher) penned an opinion piece calling for federal policymakers to ensure that CDC remains well-resourced to fight disease outbreaks as well as the growing burden of chronic diseases in America.

The CDC Foundation is proud to build partnerships on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. This year, the center is celebrating 20 years of leadership in programs aimed at preventing injuries in the United States and in a number of countries overseas.

While most people understand  the role of first responders the work of public health experts before, during and after a crisis is less known, but equally important.

We at the CDC Foundation are incredibly proud of an article included in the current issue of The Lancet, the world's leading general medical journal. The article reports results from the ongoing Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), which, from 2008 to 2010 was completed in 14 countries representing more than 3 billion people, including over 60 percent of the world's adult smokers. 

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the deep budget cuts that are straining the capacity of CDC, along with state and local health agencies across the country. In these tough times, community leaders have to figure out creative ways to help close the gaps to keep America healthy, safe and secure.