Despite City Health Concerns, Detroit Mayor Has Yet To Appoint Health Director

Six months into his tenure, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has yet to appoint a new city health director, disappointing some city health advocates, the Detroit Free Press reports. Some members of the area's medical community believe Kilpatrick's inaction indicates that health issues are not "a priority" for his administration, despite the city's high levels of syphilis, prostate cancer, lead poisoning and asthma. Dr. Sophie Womack, chief of neonatology at Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit, said, "We know we have [health] problems. We need someone to lead us out of them. We have not been able to move forward with some of the issues, such as infant mortality. We're waiting for a director." Detroit's infant mortality rate was 14.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000, the Free Press reports. Jamaine Dickins, spokesperson for the mayor, said, "Health is a priority for this administration. We are currently conducting a nationwide search for a new health director, been doing so since January. Our goal is to make sure we have the absolute best person available to the city of Detroit." Dickins added, "We have it narrowed down to a very short list of candidates" (Askari, Detroit Free Press, 7/24).