Former CDC workers and lawmakers say cuts undermine public trust

Caption

Rep. Saira Draper (center) speaks at the State Capitol Tuesday in support of the CDC.

Credit: Sarah Kallis/GPB News

Former employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gathered with state lawmakers at the Georgia Capitol on Tuesday holding signs in support of the CDC. They said cuts, including 600 staff layoffs, made by the Trump administration could gut years of progress in public health.

Dan Jernigan, the former director of the CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, called changes to programming, as well as the firing of director Susan Monarez, "death by a thousand cuts" and that they undermine public trust in the institution.

“We need to do everything we can to work with the current administration as we can, but also to get folks out there and ask that science be put first, ideology put second, and that we can get back to protecting Americans here," he said. 

Jernigan resigned from his CDC position after Monarez was fired. Deb Houry, former chief medical officer at the CDC, also resigned in protest of the firing. 

"After seeing the politicization of work that shouldn't be politicized — it's about saving lives and making a difference — myself and several of my colleagues knew that enough was enough, and together our voices were stronger," she said. 

The White House said on Friday that Monarez was let go because she did not align with the priorities of the administration. She was replaced with Jim O'Neill, who's serving as acting director of the agency.

State Rep. Saira Draper spoke in support of the CDC and efforts to improve public health at the event as well. 

"Many people may not realize what public health is, because when it is working, you do not see it," Draper said. "You do not notice the listeria outbreak that was stopped before the cold cuts left the processing facility. You don't see the influenza or avian flu event that was prevented because of good vaccination policies."