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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is experiencing a significant shift as five high-level officials announced their departure on Tuesday. This latest development adds to the ongoing instability within the nation’s foremost public health agency.
The resignations, described as retirements, were disclosed during a meeting of senior leaders at the Atlanta-based CDC. These departures follow three other recent exits, bringing the total to nearly a third of the agency’s top management leaving in a short span. According to a report published by the Associated Press, the news was not publicly announced but was confirmed by two CDC officials speaking on condition of anonymity.
Uncertainty Amid Leadership Changes
The departures come just a day after the White House nominated Susan Monarez to take over as CDC director. However, it remains unclear whether the nomination played any role in the officials’ decisions to leave.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration withdrew its nomination of former Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon shortly before a Senate hearing.
Amid these transitions, CDC employees are bracing for potential workforce reductions and agency restructuring. White House officials are currently reviewing a workforce reduction proposal for CDC and other federal health agencies, though the details have not been disclosed. This uncertainty has raised concerns among public health experts.
“The challenges for these individuals to do their jobs on a daily basis must be enormous,” said Jason Schwartz, a Yale University health policy researcher. “The future of CDC is under threat, by any measure. It’s understandable why individuals may decide to move on rather than see the agency diminished in its works, and its resources, and its ability to do its job.”
Who Is Leaving?
The latest departures include some of the CDC’s most experienced leaders:
- Leslie Ann Dauphin, who led the Public Health Infrastructure Center, which supports more than 500 employees and coordinates CDC funding and strategy for local health departments.
- Dr. Karen Remley, head of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, overseeing more than 220 full-time employees.
- Sam Posner, who directed the Office of Science, responsible for CDC research policies and the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
- Debra Lubar, leader of the Office of Policy, Performance, and Evaluation, a 65-person department.
- Leandris Liburd, who ran the Office of Health Equity, created in response to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on minority communities.
Additionally, other key figures have left in recent weeks, including Kevin Griffis, head of the CDC’s communications office; Robin Bailey, the agency’s chief operating officer; and Dr. Nirav Shah, a former principal deputy director who played a leading role in monitoring the bird flu epidemic.
What’s Next for the CDC?
With a core budget exceeding $9 billion and a workforce of over 13,000 employees, the CDC plays a critical role in protecting Americans from public health threats. However, the agency has faced challenges, including the layoff of at least 550 probationary employees in February.
These layoffs were challenged in court, and two federal judges ordered their reinstatement, though some affected employees claim they have yet to return to their positions.
Looking ahead, the CDC’s trajectory remains uncertain. “It would be foolhardy to predict what the CDC will look like in a few months, let alone a couple of years,” Schwartz noted. With senior leadership in flux and potential restructuring looming, the future of the agency remains a subject of intense speculation.
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