Q&A
Addressing funding challenges and international health cooperation
1:31:51
ยท
96 sec
Councilmember Narcisse and Dr. Morse discuss concerns about funding cuts, the withdrawal from the World Health Organization, and strategies to maintain public health efforts in New York City.
- Concerns raised about the $600 million infrastructure and potential funding cuts
- Discussion of the impact of withdrawing from the World Health Organization
- Dr. Morse emphasizes DOHMH's commitment to protecting New Yorkers despite challenges
- Clarification that no federal budget cuts have been officially notified yet
Mercedes Narcisse
1:31:51
It's scary.
1:31:53
We have to be proactive, right, not reactive.
1:31:57
We're talking about $600,000,000 infrastructure.
1:32:03
So now we don't even know where we at, right?
1:32:06
Now we withdraw from the World Health Organization, which from nursing, that's all we talk about.
1:32:12
Whenever we want a reference, that's where we go.
1:32:16
So how you perceive that we're gonna be able to keep it together in New York City?
Dr. Michelle Morse
1:32:22
I'm scared.
1:32:23
Well I intend to partner with council and partner with City Hall and OMB to make sure that we're able to continue our work and continue to protect the health of New Yorkers because that is our mission, to protect and promote the health of New Yorkers.
1:32:39
I'm not saying it's gonna be easy.
1:32:41
It is a very challenging time.
1:32:43
And at the same time, that is our job in the New York City Health Department.
1:32:47
We have been doing it for two hundred and twenty years, and I fully expect for us to make sure that we continue to protect New Yorkers despite what are clearly very difficult times in shifting sands.
1:32:59
I do also wanna clarify, we have not received notification of any cuts yet to our federal budget.
1:33:07
So at this current time, we are still using and implementing the work that's related to our $600,000,000 in federal funding, and our expectation is that the federal government will uphold the contracts and commitments that it's made to New Yorkers around those federal funds.