Why Public Health Still Matters
As humans, most of us have an internal desire to help others. I say most because we know the world has its fair share of people who move in the opposite direction. But that’s not my place to judge. My place—my calling—is in public health.
Growing up, I thought I’d become a model. I believed the world was missing out on me. Yet, I rarely showed my true self. Why? Because deep down, I feared the world might stomp me into pieces if I did.
Then, I discovered public health. And suddenly, everything clicked. Public health wasn’t glamorous, but it was powerful. It wasn’t about shining a light on myself—it was about shining a light on others. It was about saving lives.
Public health, at its core, is common sense:
Encourage people to eat healthier.
Create safe spaces to exercise.
Provide vaccinations and preventive care.
Reduce risk factors.
Make sure communities—from colleges to city officials—are creating environments where healthy choices are the easy choices.
But here’s the problem: you can’t simply mandate people to change their behavior. And worse, the very phrase “public health” has been politicized and weaponized.
When people hear “healthcare,” they imagine doctors and nurses heroically saving lives. When they hear “public health,” too often they think of:
“Mandated vaccines”
“Policies for poor people”
“Harm reduction programs that just enable drug use”
Or even “fake viruses like COVID-19”
This isn’t by accident. Politicians, media voices, and influencers have publicly attacked public health, downplayed health crises, and undermined experts. And as a result, the phrase “public health” has lost trust. It’s been branded as unclean.
So where do we go from here? Do we change the name? Rebrand public health entirely? Or do we stand firm and fight for leaders who will unapologetically defend the value of public health?
One thing is clear: what we’re doing now isn’t working. If public health is to reclaim its rightful place—as the backbone of healthier, longer, more equitable lives—we need to do something different. Bold. Collective. And urgent.
Because at the end of the day, public health isn’t about politics. It’s about people. It’s about saving lives.