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Can the CDC Help Prevent Suicide

Bombings? Published November 20, 2008 on UPIU.com

Byjack turner

George Mason University

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been in the business of

preventing and controlling public health threats for six decades.1 Can a public healthagency like the CDC help to prevent and control the problem of suicide bombing? Why

would they even try?

Consider these facts:

1. The CDCs primary goal is prevention of public health threats and the dissemination ofreliable health information to the general public, community organizations, health care

providers, and government agencies.

2. The CDC has a proven track record at achieving public health goals by promoting and

facilitating cooperative relationships between local communities, government agencies,and the medical community.

3. Since September 11, 2001, the CDC has led the U.S. and other nations in creating

emergency preparedness plans for bioterrorism and other critical public health threats.

4. The CDCs unique organizational culture puts public health first and sends a clearmessage of cooperation, respect, and trustworthiness to the communities and agencieswith which it partners.

Historically, The CDC has had great successes in protecting the public against

health threats and thereby helping to preserve the national security of the U.S. Among itsmany accomplishments are controlling the spread of infectious diseases, reducing the

death rate from heart disease, and promoting work place safety. More recently, the CDC

has developed local and national violence prevention programs and emergency plans for

preventing and responding to bioterrorism attacks.

Because the CDC strives to prevent public health threats before they begin, it maybe an ideal government agency to help prevent suicide bombings as part of its national

security responsibilities. Suicide bombers depend upon strong support from the

communitys they operate within to achieve their terrorist goals. The community-basedpublic health programs administered by the CDC could be directed to not only monitor

community health, but to also monitor community attitudes toward suicide bombing.

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The CDC has an obvious advantage over other government agencies in its ability to

encourage a culture of cooperation and optimistic communication between opposing

factions. In contrast to the adversarial positions often communicated by military, lawenforcement, and intelligence services to communities supporting terrorism, the CDCs

organizational culture of public health promotion could send messages of cooperation,

respect, and trustworthiness throughout at-risk communities. The CDCs best preventionplan for reducing the risk of suicide bombings may be the same plan it has already

succeeded with: Empowering and training local communities and their governments to

share a realistic vision and concrete plans for a better future.