High-Level Exits Shake Up Top Public Health Agency

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) faced a significant shake-up recently. Five top officials left their posts. This news came out at a meeting for senior leaders. The CDC, based in Atlanta, has around two dozen centers and offices. The heads of five of these are stepping down. This follows three other departures in recent weeks. Nearly a third of the agency's top management has left or is leaving. These departures were called retirements. But they were not made public. The Associated Press and CBS News confirmed the news with CDC officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity. This news came a day after the White House announced a new nominee for CDC director. Susan Monarez, the CDC's acting head, was nominated. She previously served as deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. However, it's unclear if this nomination influenced the leaders' decision to leave. The Trump administration had withdrawn its nomination of former Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon. This happened just before a Senate hearing. An administration official said Weldon lacked the votes for confirmation. CDC employees, including leaders, have been preparing for potential layoffs and reorganization. White House officials are reviewing a proposal to reduce the workforce at CDC and other federal health agencies. The contents of this proposal are not public. The challenges faced by these leaders must be immense. The future of the CDC is uncertain. It's no surprise that some might choose to leave rather than see the agency's work and resources diminished. Losing experienced leaders is a blow to the already struggling agency. The latest departures include key figures from various offices. Leslie Ann Dauphin oversaw the Public Health Infrastructure Center. Dr. Karen Remley headed the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. Sam Posner led the Office of Science. Debra Lubar ran the Office of Policy, Performance and Evaluation. Leandris Liburd headed the Office of Health Equity. Additionally, Kevin Griffis, head of CDC's office of communications, left last week. Robin Bailey, the agency's chief operating officer, and Dr. Nirav Shah, a former principal deputy director, also left recently. The CDC has a core budget of over $9 billion. It is responsible for protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other health threats. The agency had over 13, 000 employees and nearly 13, 000 contract workers at the start of this year. At least 550 probationary employees were laid off in February. These layoffs were challenged in court, and two federal judges ordered the employees be reinstated. However, this has not yet happened. The future of the CDC is uncertain. It's understandable why senior leaders might not want to commit to an unstable future. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, chairs the Senate's health committee. He said he looks forward to meeting with the president's new nominee to discuss the agency's future. Cassidy believes the CDC needs reform. He launched a Senate Republican CDC working group to address these issues.