The Center for Disease Control:
A Question of Accountability and the H1N1 Virus
Assessing the US CDC's (Center
for Disease Control) response to the H1N1, involves many different levels of
professional accountability. The US CDC, as an organization, is accountable for
its response to H1N1.
A crisis places any
organization under scrutiny. First, there is accountability at the top of the
organization. The person in charge is accountable to the members of the
organization, as well as to others. Thus, one might suggest that the director
of the US CDC is accountable for the US CDC's response to H1N1.
This raises other issues of
concern. For instance, to whom does the director give account? One must ask how
does the director of the US CDC initially becomes its director, as this has to
do with his or her personal, as well as professional accountability.
"At present, the President
of the United States
Understanding what the US CDC
represents to the country is a factor that comes into play with regard to
its accountability.
What is the CDC?
"The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (or CDC) is a United
States federal agency under the Department of Health and
Human Services, based in Atlanta ,
Georgia
What is the role of the CDC?
"It works to protect
public health and safety by providing information to enhance health decisions,
and it promotes health through partnerships with state health departments and
other organizations." (3)
Consider the monumental size of
this task. With respect to the H1N1 virus pandemic, also consider this in the
light of the current population of the world.
"As of 9 November 2009,
the Earth's population is estimated by the United States Census Bureau to be
6.796 billion." (4)
How does the world's population
factor into the H1N1 pandemic accountability equation?
"As of 1 November 2009,
worldwide more than 199 countries and overseas territories/communities have
reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including
over 6000 deaths." (5)
This statistic may not include
the actual total number of diagnosed cases of H1N1, but one must suggest that
the relatively low number of deaths associated with the H1N1 pandemic to date, indicate that the work by the US CDC is instrumental in saving people's lives.
There are other factors
included in US CDC accountability. For instance, what is the cost factor with
regard to the operation of the US CDC? In the US
Compare this to its original
budget of approximately one million dollars, on July 1, 1946, when the
organization was first established. At that time, the major health concern was
malaria, in relation to mosquito control. (7)
Of course, the role of the US
CDC is more extensive now. The original staff was 369 people contrasted to
the 15,000 staff members in 2008. (8)
Why is this information so
important? To truly understand and appreciate the work of the US CDC with
regard to its response to H1N1 and its accountability to the country, the
president and people all around the world, one must have understanding of the organization and its early roots.
Are there other factors
involved in accountability? Accountability must include the number of cases of
H1N1 infection, in relation to documented deaths attributed to that virus. As
of November 1, 2009, the WHO reported 482,300 cases and 6071 deaths. (9)
The accuracy of statistics is problematic and there are cases that have not been recognized,
documented or reported. There may not ever be 100 % accuracy in reports
regarding H1N1 because it is pandemic in magnitude.
Another factor in
accountability has to do with the actual cost of mass, global immunization. Weighing
the cost of manufacturing and distributing the vaccine, against what each
individual patient is obligated to pay in order to receive the vaccine, may
raise questions of financial accountability, particularly in countries where
there is no health care.
For those who are in need of
information with respect to the US CDC, information is available on the
following web site:
It will probably only be in
retrospect that the full accountability of the US CDC will surface. At that
time, will their accountability be credible?
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Disease_Control
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
6. Op. Cit., Control
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. Op. Cit., index.html
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