INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has formed a 15-member public health commission that's tasked with improving the public health system and the health of the state’s residents.
Governor Holcomb said while the commission will analyze the state’s response to the pandemic, that’s not the priority.
"This is a long term endeavour and we are going to do a very thorough deep dive. This is not a blame-storming mission by any stretch of the imagination. We've got our game plan right now to continue to work through the pandemic, so that's not what this commission or this task force is about. This is a long term look at where we want our state to be decades from now," Holcomb said.
Holcomb chose longtime Republican politician Luke Kenley and former state health commissioner Dr. Judy Monroe to co-chair the commission.
Holcomb noted there are 94 health departments, a 140-year-old system, and part of the commission’s mission will be to standardize operations to respond to health issues, including another public health crisis.
"Our system has been in place, the one we have right now, for about 140 years, so obviously in terms of how we operate, how we fund, how we structure, is critically important. Our intent and our hope in what will drive us is this is going to lead to a better system over the next 100 years," Holcomb said.`12
Indiana’s obesity, smoking, addiction, and infant and maternal mortality rates often appeared in top 10 lists.
According to the Trust for America’s Health, Indiana also routinely falls near the bottom, when it comes to state's public health funding and preparedness to handle a public health emergency.
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