AHCJ’s Midwest fellows just spent three days in Atlanta meeting with experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Carter Center on a variety of health issues.
Highlights included a discussion with CDC Director Julie Gerberding about efforts and goals to collaborate with other nations – addressing climate change, poverty, food safety, illness and disaster response. Another CDC priority focuses on reducing health and economic consequences of the leading causes of death and disability.
In CDC laboratories, fellows stood 30 feet away – through thick walls and windows – from deadly diseases from around the world. In a different lab, where viruses such as SARS were originally identified, fellows used an electron microscope to see slides of infected tissues and heard step-by-step explanations of lab procedures. Labs at the CDC’s Environmental Health Labs gave the fellows a chance to see the facilities where the CDC detects deadly toxins. In one special room, the fellows saw hundreds of cartons of cigarettes, ready for testing on sensitive equipment for levels of nicotine, tar and other ingredients.
The fellows visit included a tour of the CDC Director’s Emergency Operations Center, a secured series of rooms that allow CDC employees to monitor disasters or disease outbreaks and manage response.
CDC speakers unveiled a preview of an embargoed report on childhood injuries and deaths, including statistics by state. Other experts gave a primer on public health and the latest developments and research on vaccines, obesity, autism, climate change and genetic testing.
In a side trip to The Carter Center, fellows heard details of international efforts to eradicate diseases and improving mental health and toured the presidential museum.
