“We’re losing eight full-time positions at the Health Department,” said Dr. Donna Sweet, president of the Medical Society of Sedgwick County. “We’re losing some vital programs. One that I particularly hate to see go is the screening for women who are poor and uninsured for breast cancer and cervical cancer.”
This comes after county commissioners voted on a new budget cutting the health department by about half a million dollars.
Local doctors are worried about what that means here in Sedgwick county. They say the budget cuts mean services from immunizations to healthy baby programs won’t be available here. They say these programs save lives. But it’s more than that. It’s also about the lost experience leaving with those who are being laid off.
“There were lots of people who testified and obviously the county commissioners listened because they restored the bulk of those cuts,” said Dr. Sweet. “So for that I have to say, ‘Thank you.'”
Dr. Sweet fought hard against the budget cuts. She says she’s glad the cuts weren’t as bad as they might have been, but still sees them as potentially life threatening.
“It’s only going to take one late diagnosis to ruin a family’s life and kill a woman who might otherwise would have been found earlier,” said Dr. Sweet.
Among the programs that will be ending are health screenings for things like breast and cervical cancer as well as those immunization and healthy baby programs.
“We have a terrible infant mortality rate in this county,” said Dr. Sweet. “We have for years, and we’re truly trying to work on that, but I hate to see that position go, because in my opinion it’s already an under-funded effort to try and get our babies healthier.”
She says even if the county decides to re-instate funding next year, or the year after, the loss of experienced personnel won’t be something that can be fixed with money, only time.
“Obviously as a health care provider I’d rather give up the road,” said Dr. Sweet when asked if she’d rather cut roadwork or health programs, an option commissioners faced as they debated the funding changes.
She says most people she’s spoken with support keeping the public health programs in Sedgwick County.
“I don’t think they ever really thought that it would be cutting services to people who are poor and sick,” said Dr. Sweet. “That’s not what people think of as smaller government.”
Some county commissioners have said the cuts are about getting rid of programs that are mostly bureaucratic and unnecessary.
“The medical society will continue to figure out how to boost what can be boosted with the funds that are there, and then also continuing to educate to make sure the commissioners see what happens or doesn’t happen,” said Dr. Sweet.
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