Community First, Politics Later
The deadly Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in the South Bronx has once again exposed the fact that the relationship between Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio is not exactly the most amicable.
Yet again, their postures clashed regarding the City’s response to contain the spread of the disease, which has taken a dozen lives.
Even though both politicians, who occupy the top positions at the state and local governments, reacted quickly to set aside the political game and join forces in an effort to combat the disease, this type of situation cannot happen again.
They need to solve their differences behind closed doors. Their response as leaders should be a joint effort from day one when a problem of this magnitude is detected anywhere in the city.
The appearance of this new problem in the South Bronx should be used to help an area that already has severe health and quality of life issues.
Last year ‒ and for the sixth year in a row, ‒ The Bronx occupied the last place among New York’s 62 counties for its socioeconomic problems and its residents’ health and quality of life.
The Bronx has the highest rate of diabetes, asthma, smoking, heart disease, HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy.
The percentage of adults with bad or “poor” health in that county is 10% higher than the state’s average. There are 8,139 early deaths for every 100,000 people there. In the state, the average is 5,933.
Reports reveal that the conditions are so bad that 6 of the 7 riskiest zones for the well being of children in New York City are located in The Bronx; a sad reality for our kids.
We need a new action plan to tend to this county’s needs. We need to see concrete results. The Legionnaires’ disease has been now added to the list, and we don’t know what will happen next.
