Jamie Bay Nishi, the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH): “We can’t have the same three CDC epidemiologists managing the world’s crises.”

Jamie Bay Nishi, the dynamic CEO of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), is absorbed with the question: how do we navigate all the changes in government policy and programs and hold the global health community together? That includes philanthropies, universities, and companies. OMB’s proposed “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance,” a 400-page document, would expand political oversight and weaken the authority of scientific advisory groups, changes that would alter the scientific research enterprise and create uncertainties. A 45-day period for comment is too little time to understand what is in the document and the ramifications if its proposed actions were enacted. It could further stigmatize collaboration with China. The June 3 White House Executive Order to reclassify the federal workforce will weaken career protections of GS-15 workers, leaving them open to firing at-will. CDC’s overseas country offices are to transition to a fee-for-service model, as part of the America First Global Health Strategy. This will not be sufficient to guarantee a sustainable work force, which requires a reliable surge capacity in CDC headquarters at Atlanta and stable expert in-country staff. It is incumbent upon Congress to change the funding scheme for CDC overseas experts and its surge capability.