Letter from the Co-Chairs
As this Annual Report comes to press, we find ourselves in increasingly tumultuous and turbulent times. Midway through 2022, we have experienced a second full year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with no current respite in sight, demonstrating that the preparedness, response, and recovery requirements of the 2020s are not the same as they were when the Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies was founded 15 years ago. Health security remains an aspiration with many gaps and impediments placed squarely in its way. Health care itself is being weaponized for political gain, with reproductive health care now dictated by the courts, and not the patient nor the clinician caring for the patient. The health care workforce is being challenged at every turn. And through all of this turmoil, the core elements of the health care and public health preparedness and response efforts could not be more important. Those responsible for delivering care; engaging, educating, and preparing communities; and planning for whatever awaits just around the corner remain the difference between success and failure in future crises, large or small.
As co-chairs, we are grateful for the contributions each of you make, not only to your own communities but also to our collective efforts on highlighting the many challenges we have in responding to disasters. You have contributed key insights and recommendations on how to improve the nation’s response. And you have worked tirelessly to bring about change, as hard as that work is to do. It is a testament to each of you, and to the forum, that despite the hurdles, we take the time to come together for meetings, webinars, and workshops, and continue to chip away at the problems that need our considered attention.
We are also grateful for the contributions of the National Academies staff, who continue to keep the flow of information, proceedings, and reports moving, and help to facilitate connections year-round.
The strength of the forum, our “sacred sanctuary,” and the success of our efforts rest on the collective leadership provided by the members and staff working together. Great ideas are brought forth, and practical solutions are pushed forward. As we continue to react and respond to changes, big and small, know that your ideas matter, your voice counts, and your deeds and actions reflect the vision of ensuring a healthier and safer future for all.
