U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health meets with Northeast PA health partners
Maternal and Family Health Services recently joined our partners at the Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, Scranton, to welcome U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard Koh to Scranton. Dr. Koh came to Scranton to learn more about the community-based health programs that are working to improve access to health care in Northeast Pennsylvania, and to celebrate the second anniversary of the Let’s Move campaign.
This was an opportunity for health partners in Northeast PA to demonstrate how collaborate efforts are making a difference to improve access to care using innovative solutions with a focus on prevention. Dr. Koh spoke at a luncheon sponsored by the Wright Center about the health challenges our nation faces and discussed the opportunities to find solutions. During the program, MFHS was recognized as an example for providing high quality and essential care to a population in need of preventative services, and for our organization’s efforts to work collaboratively to create systems of prevention.
In his role at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Koh oversees 14 core public health offices, including the Office of the Surgeon General and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He also serves as senior public health advisor to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The Office of Assistant Secretary for Health implements an array of interdisciplinary programs relating to disease prevention, health promotion, the reduction of health disparities, women’s and minority health, adolescent health, HIV/AIDS and chronic infectious diseases, vaccine programs, fitness, sports and nutrition, bioethics, population affairs, blood supply, research integrity and human research protections. As the Assistant Secretary for Health, Dr. Koh is dedicated to the mission of creating better public health systems for prevention and care so that all people can reach their highest attainable standard of health.