Over the last few weeks we watched in disbelief as the federal administration decimated public health, slashing budgets, cutting contracts, terminating staff, and gutting public health programs across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

With the Covid-19 pandemic barely in the rearview mirror, it’s astonishing to see the vast cuts to public health, cuts that are not just short-sighted, they’re dangerous.

During the pandemic, there was a spotlight on public health and the importance of public health all the time, not just during epidemics, pandemics, and disasters. Public health keeps us safe, ensuring restaurants are safe to eat at, having safe drinking water, tracking and managing infectious diseases, and reducing preventable deaths.

Public health isn’t just about clinics or vaccines. It’s about protecting kūpuna from preventable illness, ensuring keiki have access to behavioral health care, and preventing disease before it starts. It’s about increasing access and reducing barriers to healthcare and safe environments and improving quality of life for all of us.

This past week (April 7-13) was National Public Health Week, a time when we normally celebrate the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving the health of our nation.

Essential Services At Risk

Yet this year, we’re witnessing deep cuts to HHS that will weaken our nation’s ability to respond to health threats and care for underserved populations. Major cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have put key programs on the chopping block, including HIV prevention, asthma, environmental hazard response, health communications, reproductive health, worker safety, tuberculosis prevention and control, lead poisoning prevention, water safety, and tobacco prevention and control.

These are not optional services. They are fundamental protections that help us live longer, healthier lives.
Federal cuts will mean cuts at the state level, with major consequences. Community health centers, behavioral health services, infectious disease control, and chronic disease prevention programs will all be affected by federal rollbacks, reducing our capacity to meet community needs and worsening health. The impact on Hawai‘i’s public health system and residents’ health will be significant.

We are grateful that our state leaders recognize the stakes. Gov. Josh Green has been outspoken on the harms of major cuts at HHS and the deadly consequences of vaccine misinformation. Hawai‘i Attorney General Anne Lopez has worked with other states to file suits on several executive orders that threaten our state, including the proposed $11 billion cuts to public health funding.

Our state Legislature is working to prepare for anticipated budget shortfalls and how to mitigate the impact of reduced federal support in our state. But unlike the federal government, states must maintain a balanced budget.

We recognize that public health isn’t the only sector facing deep cuts and there are still a lot of unknowns. With tight budgets, fewer federal resources, and economic uncertainty, our state will have difficult choices in deciding what to prioritize and fund.

However, it is important to remember that investments in public health are investments in resilience — resilience to pandemics, climate disasters, economic instability, and mental health crises. A strong public health system is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.

As of April 3, the U.S. had over 600 confirmed cases of measles so far this year, spanning 22 states. Sadly, there have been three deaths from measles this year, two children and one adult. On April 8, Hawai‘i confirmed its first measles case of the year. This outbreak in the U.S. has already surpassed all of 2024, when 285 measles cases were reported.

Measles is highly contagious, and this outbreak is a stark reminder of how quickly preventable diseases can return when public health systems are underfunded and vaccination rates decline. Accurate, science-based information and access to the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine are critical.

We all have a role to play. Here are some ways you can take action:

• Call your elected officials at all levels of government and urge them to protect public health funding and programs. Share how public health impacts your family and community.
• Support local organizations, whether it’s through monetary assistance, volunteering, or other means, to help sustain their vital services and gaps created due to federal cuts.
• Speak up against misinformation. Help friends and family find reliable health information and use your platform to amplify credible public health messages.

We can’t afford not to stand up for public health. We’ve seen the consequences of what happens when it’s neglected, and the value of strong public health systems in action. Let’s not wait for another crisis to remind us why it matters.