Dr. Robbie Goldstein Rebukes Rep. Stephen Lynch’s Inaction to Protect Public Health Funding, Calling his Inaction “Irresponsible” and “Lacking in Leadership”

May 26, 2020

Dr. Robbie Goldstein, a Boston-based physician, public health advocate, and candidate for U.S. House has urged Representative Stephen Lynch to take bolder action to protect public health. “As a physician trained in how to respond to public health threats and who has spent the past three months responding to this crisis, this is a direct threat to our democracy, and Lynch’s inaction put millions of people’s lives at risk,” Goldstein said. “His statement urging Trump to restore funding after the fact comes a little too late.”

In April at the peak of a global pandemic, the Trump Administration announced that they would be suspending all financial support for the World Health Organization (WHO) to inquire about and review all activities conducted in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The United States is currently the most prominent donor to the WHO, which provides lifesaving measures and public health direction across the world. These measures are particularly important for nations in the Global South. 

“The decision to withhold funding, not only is it morally reprehensible, but will cost human lives - disproportionately Black, Indigenous, and people of colors’ lives,” Goldstein said. “This politically motivated action should have been stopped and we need to urge Congress to take quicker action to restore this critical funding. The WHO should be focused on how we can stop the spread of COVID-19, not on how the organization will be funded.”

“As a senior member in the Oversight and Reform Committee, Rep. Lynch has had repeated opportunities to ensure that domestic and international health programs are funded and he should be pushing for a commitment to public health funding, not just the re-establishment of the voluntary fund for the WHO,” Goldstein said.

Dr. Goldstein also highlights why it is necessary to have health professionals involved in Congress, especially when there’s a global pandemic. “Rep. Lynch’s failure to prevent and address budget cuts is unacceptable. We need an advocate in Congress that will stand up for global health and will stop any inquiries that will prolong the withholding of this critical funding,” Goldstein said.