“This is Survival” – Part Three
My Day
By Dr. J. Ester Davis
Picture: Dr. Phil Huang, Director, Dallas County Health&Human Services
What is the most important topic to date from the Dallas County Health Department? Is it contact tracing or the illusive vaccine? What groups will be receiving the proposed vaccine first? With African Americans still labeled and suffering disproportionately from the virus, where is the data addressing removing that word? Right next to this burning question.. where is partnering with the black media or the southern sector to work on solutions?
The vaccine is long distance running. An American is dying every minute today with COVID-19.
And it is NOT acceptable that African Americans live with the constant proof positive data on your ability to survive.
My Tuesday morning started with a phone call concerning a gravely ill African American community worker who was purportedly being discharged from a local hospital on a certain date without a place to go. This patient can not return home because there is no one to administer the necessary professional care. Now hold that point.
We are not in a good place in Dallas County with the COVID-10 virus. My interview with Dr. Huang, Part 3, several months ago was a good one. He was interested in the retired African American RN’s Group created and our conference calls. The interview being good or bad is a mute issue when the community is performing at optimum levels and the health services are measuring charts, data and waving ‘the Governor is in charge’ flag. Dialoguing with eight(8) retired registered nurses (RN’s), I learned, first of all that they have not really retired. One of the nurses in our group is retired Navy with twenty(21)one years all over the world. If a one hundred(100)year old pandemic is in the country, it calls for bolder leadership and strict attention to the most vulnerable.
Our Part One of “This is Survival” was made in an exclusive interview with Robert Ashley, KHVN, and Commissioner John Wiley Price way back in March. Part 2 was with Dr. Wiggins, Baylor Scott and White Hospital. Part 2 also introduced us to the proactive food shortage with the legacy of Bethlehem Foundation board members, volunteers and their intuitive community instincts.
Think about this. . where will the hidden data be stored on the number of sick being put out of Dallas County hospitals?
Dr. Philip Huang can be reached at 214.819.2014. Email: Philip.Huang@dallascounty.org.
