News Release

March 31, 2023

MCHD recognizes staff during Women’s History Month 

MOBILE, Ala. — As Women’s History Month concludes, the Health Equity Office would like to celebrate and applaud every woman who works at the Mobile County Health Department (MCHD). Your unselfish dedication in service to your families, workplace, and community is greatly appreciated. These 380 women are being recognized because the work they do behind the scenes creates stories that deserve to be told and shared. They are providing healing and promoting hope.

The tenacity of these women advocating to combat systematic inequities shows their commitment to advancing the Agency’s mission to “promote, to improve and protect the health of all Mobilians.” It’s not easy serving the less fortunate ones of our community, but every day you show up, and stand shoulder to shoulder to ensure that our patients, co-workers, and stakeholders receive excellent customer service.

Please join the Health Equity Office in honoring and thanking all the women at MCHD for their determination to make a difference in the lives of others.

Maria Ablan Sanchez, Celia Adams-Suarez, Angela Alexander, Jolanda Amey, Latara Anderson, Maria Ashworth, Robin Atchison, Carla Austin, Jacqueline Austin, Cyneria Austin, Jessica Averett, Eckaydra Baker, Camie Barganier, Yvonne Baynard, Maria Beck, Rhonda Bedsole, Shakari Beechem, Virginia Behlen, Kendra Bell, Michelle Bernard, Luz Bethea, Darlene Bingham, Helen Bishop, Faye Bolden, Tina Bourg, Kerri Bowie, Karen Bowling, Pamela Boyce, Jennifer Boyd, Tammy Bradberry, Lawana Bradley, Saundra Brand, TaMichael Brand, Shameka Brazeal, Nicole Brear, Irma Brooks, Latonya Brown, Ashley Brown, Virginia Brown, Janice Buchanant, Darlene Burrell, Dana Burroughs, Trixie Bush, Barrinisha Bush, Areda Bush, Susan Calagaz, Eldria Caldwell, Tienease Campbell, Martha Carpenter, Paquita Carter, Amanda Carter, Wykena Carter, Shayria Catlin, Karen Chachagua, LaTasha Chambers, Shavonne Chaney, Sequayah Chaney, Deborah Christian, Gina Clark, Katie Clark, Jessica Clarke, Carsetta Clarke, Linette Clausman, Cailyn Clemons, Consuela Cleveland, Vanessa Cochran, Erin Coker, Cassandra Coleman, Doneshia Coleman, Sharon Colon, Wynetta Cooks, Jasminee Cooley, Teresa Copeland, Mercedes Cordova, Terri Cornelius, Shacolby Craig, Sonja Crawford, Melissa Creighton, Frederica Crenshaw, Lacey Crigler, Tracy Cummings, Theresa Cummings,

Renicka Daniels, Celeste Dennis, Rebecca Dixon, Tonya Dobbs, Carlethaie Donley, Daedra Dunigan, Dominique Dunigan, Linda Dunn, Tokie Dunn, Rachel Duthu, Phyllis Eaton-Armstrong, Brittany Edmondson, Joy Ellis, Farlon Evans, Sonja Evans, Danita Ezell, Shannon Faye, Lynda Feng, Anita Ferrell, Sydnie Fleming, Jacqueline Forrest, Taja Foster, Nicole Foster, Dana Foster, Ashlee Fountain-Jones, Arealle Franklin, Katina Fritz, Christa Gamble, Charlotte Gamble, Christie Gann, Meridith Gardner, Charity Gardner, Azi Gardner, Aisha Garmon, Aretha Gatson, Barbara Gibbs, Deborah Gilmore, Jenny Gilmore, Annie Glover, Janis Gordon, Irene Graham, Mary Graves, Jacqueline Green, Doina Griga, Jessica Grissett, Ruth Guess, Raquel Guillen, Mahogany Gulley, Helen Guthrie, Misty Guy, Lois Gwinn, Tracey Hall, Erica Hall, Latonya Handy, Taylor Hardy, Edna Harris, Shakara Harris, Jeanette Harris, Kimbe Hawthorne, Shareca Hawthorne, Sandra Henley, Sade Hill, Ashley Hines, Alice Hines, Wanda Hixon, Terilyn Hodges, Mary Hoffman, Frankietta Horn, Theresa Houston, Peggy Howat, Patricia Hudson, LaDina Hudson, Annie Hudson, Cristina Irby, Ivory Irons, Adriene Irvin, Latrina Jackson, Tiffany Jackson, Aimee Jackson, Angelica Jackson, Alana Jackson, Justice Jackson, Ethel Jackson, April Jackson, LeZandra Jackson-Clark, Cassandra James, Vernell James, Annette Johnson, Ma’Quala Johnson, Deirdre Johnson, Jeri Jones, Gwendolyn Jones, Annie Jones, Crystle Jones, Angela Jones-Jackson,

Linda Kacar, Nzemba Katambo, Patricia Keller, Katherine Kelly, Joslyn Kennedy, Janet Kennedy, Natalie Kent, Thaila Keodouangdy, Kimberly Kilpatrick, Tanjanika Kimbrough, Pebbles King, Raquel King, Antoinisha Knight, Keirsten Knight, Sonja Lamar, Monique Lane, Destiny Lankster, Anita LeBatard, Paris Lee, Roxanne Lee, Jeneen Lett, Monica Lewis, Felecia Lewis, Jacqueline Lewis, Rebecca Light, Celeste Lindsey, Noni Lockett, Brandi Lowe, Monica Lozada Sarria, Marquilla Lundy, Jalesia Madison, Constance Malone, Emalee Malone, Kendra Marshall, Shemeka Martin, Deanna Martin, Loretia Martin, Phyllis Marzi, Dorothy McBride, Jacqueline McCann, Patricia McCants, Latisha McClendon, Senora McCracken, Lakesha McCulland, Margaret McCulloch, Randi McDavid, Laverne McMillan, Dezarae McMiller, LaShundra McMillian, Sandra Meggs Arnold, Alecia Miller, Roslyn Miller, Peggy Miller, Alexia Mingo Simmons, Laura Minus, Tramaine Mitchell, Sommerlyn Mitchell Johnson, Claudia Moncada, Valerie Moore, Gwendolyn Moore, Siobhan Moore, Janice Morris, Phyllis Morris, Holly Morris, Zsaree Morrissette-Sewell, Rayna Mose, Dorlisa Mose, Tara Mosley, Charletha Mosley, Marisol Munz, Rendi Murphree,

Amaney Nassar, Lacrena Nicholson, Ashley Nicholson, Cindy Norman, Carla Norris, Ramona Oliver, Stacy Orr, Janice Parker, Dhvani Patel, Marshalette Patrick, Charlotte Peele, Reba Pendleton, Reanna Perdue, Ulrica Pernell, Kindra Perryman, Renee Pettaway, Krystle Pettway, KeAsia Pickens, Ashley Pitt, Patricia Poellnitz, Brittney Poellnitz, Andrea Portis, Tanjanekia Powe, Kiera Powe, Jennifer Proffitt, Palmenia Purvis, Nyia Rattler, Erica Redd, Myra Reid, Irma Reyes, Tonya Rice, Donna Richardson, Rebecca Riggins, Yukalandis Roberson, Chronda Roberson, Mittie Roberson, Ebony Roberts, Norma Roberts, Jakeya Roberts, Charmaine Roberts, Hope Robinson, Michele Rogers, Annethaie Rogers, Tiffany Rogers, Jessica Rose, Amy Rosson, Verlette Ruffin-Donald, Martha Rush, Rashidah Saafir, Kaitlyn Seales, LaShundra Seals Taylor,Ne’Keshia Shaw-Carstarphen, Alicia Simmons, Danielle Simpson, Shamya Simpson, Lisa Siverly, Felecia Smiley, Teresa Smith, Lasonja Smith, Judy Smith, Royce Smith, Melanie Snow, Jasmine Solo, Karen Springfield, Virginia Stabler, Heather Stafford, Vanessa Stalling, Donna Stanley, Kathryn Stembridge, Lori Stevens, Brittany Stuber, Patricia Suggs, Genine Surgest, Barbara Swartz,

Victoria Tait, Maliyah Taylor, Tiffany Taylor, Tia Taylor, Deiadre Thomas, Velma Thomas, Pinkie Thomas, Yvonne Thomas, Amanda Thomas, Melisa Thompson, LaJoya Todd, Adrienne Tricksey, Trang Truong, Gina Tucker, Latosia Turnbough, Cynthia Turner, Tywanda Varner, Bethany Vickrey, Carol Wagnon, Giovonnah Walker, Debra Walks, Chastity Wallace, Amanda Ward, Kelly Warren, Triona Watts, Darrian Weatherspoon, Hannah Webster, Shanika Welch, Michelle West, Tacara White, Arlene White, Alexandra White, Ashley Whitfield, Keldricka Wiganowske, Shanecia Wilcox, Iris Wiley, Jerrica Wiley, Denise Williams, Yolanda Williams, Antonetta Williams, Malysa Williams, Tovah Williams-Braziel, Stephanie Wilmoth, Jayne Wilson, Mary Wilson, Breanna Wilson, Laura Wolf, Dustin Woodcock, Stephanie Woods-Crawford, Evelyn Wooten, Jessica Wright, Iesha Wright, Sharienne Wrights, Pamelia Yohn, Tremika Young, Tassie Young, Briana Young, and Tammy Zan.

March 31, 2023

MCHD recognizes Senior Women Administrators 

MOBILE, Ala. — There is a saying, “charity begins at home and spreads abroad.” The same goes for honor and recognition, and that’s what the Health Equity Office (HEO) would like to do. We want to celebrate and applaud some of the Mobile County Health Department’s (MCHD) Senior Women Administrators. These women have worked tirelessly over the years to advance the agency’s mission. Many days they might wonder if it’s all worthwhile; we want them to know that all their hard work and dedication have made a difference in the lives of their employees, patients, and communities. An underlying tenet of health equity is working to make sure that every person has an opportunity to be as healthy as they can be. The Women being recognized have shown they are committed to helping the Mobile community to be Healthy, Get Healthy, and to Stay Healthy.

HEO wants to celebrate these women and share their stories with our MCHD family during Women’s History Month.

Kelly R. Warren, LMSW, MPH – Executive Director, Family Health

Kelly Warren is a lifelong Mobilian who has had a decorated career with MCHD and Family Health (FH). She has worked in a number of roles, including Social Work Intern, Social Worker, Clinic Administrator, Director of the TEEN Center, Bureau Director of Maternal & Child Health, Director of Prevention and Wellness, and finally, as the Executive Director of Family Health.

Throughout these various positions, Mrs. Warren has been able to have a marked impact on improving the health and well-being of Mobile County. Among her many accomplishments is securing funding for Teen Pregnancy Prevention. At the end of the project, the teen birth rate had declined by 40 percent over the 5-year project period. Other accomplishments include expanding HIV testing and environmental advocacy for the 3 Mile Creek. Mrs. Warren is also an active member of the community through her work with the Junior League of Mobile, various boards, and previously with Mobile United.

Mrs. Warren loves working for MCHD/FH and working with the great people at the agency. She enjoys the meaningful work being done at the agency and the fact that there are not any dull days. As she puts it, “It is a true blessing to get to do work that matters every day.”
Mrs. Warren is a lifelong learner with a rich educational background. She matriculated the inaugural class of dual-degree MSW/MPH students at the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In addition, she graduated from the Johnson & Johnson/UCLA Health Care Executive Program at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She was also a 2010 graduate of Leadership Mobile.

In terms of her personal life, Mrs. Warren has been married to her husband, Gene, for over 21 years and is a mom to Sarah Frances and Faulkner. She also has two unruly dogs, Jaeger and Angus.

Stephanie Woods-Crawford, MPH, D.H.Sc. – Executive Director, Prevention & Wellness

Dr. Stephanie Woods-Crawford is a native Mobilian and proud of it! She loves Mobile and all its communities with their unique cultures and flair, where she returned after working in Broadcast, Communications, and Advertising in Atlanta, Ga.; Biloxi, Miss., and Duluth, Minn. Dr. Woods-Crawford has over 25 years of experience working in the healthcare field and 20 of those years with MCHD. Since starting at MCHD as a Public Information Officer, Dr. Woods-Crawford was promoted through the ranks and held numerous management positions, including Public Health Administrator with oversight of Adult Health, Pediatrics, Dental, Women’s Health, Inspection Services, Bureau Director of Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health with oversight of Infectious Disease & Outbreak, District Sexually Transmitted Diseases Surveillance & Control, District Tuberculosis Surveillance & Control, District HIV Prevention Program, Immunizations, Rabies Control, Vector Services, Onsite Services, Nutrition Services, Women’s Infant & Children (WIC), and Emergency Preparedness.

In her current role, she oversees all Public Health Programs, which include various preventative programs, Office of Communications, Grants Management, Health Equity, and COVID Response. When asked what she likes most about her job, she said she returned to her beloved hometown to make a difference because this is the place she grew up in, and she wanted to make it a better place for her child and all who live in Mobile. “MCHD’s mission is to promote, improve and protect the health of Mobile County, and on a daily basis I am able to work with wonderful people, doing what I am passionate about and making my community a better place for all.”

Dr. Woods-Crawford earned her Doctorate in Health Sciences from Nova Southeastern University, holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Southern Mississippi, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from the University of Mobile. She is also a proud McGill-Toolen Catholic High School graduate who attended Little Flower Catholic School. Dr. Woods-Crawford served honorably in the United States Naval Reserves and was a graduate of Mobile Unite’’s 2006 Leadership Mobile class. As a health and environmental advocate, Dr. Woods-Crawford has served on numerous boards in the community, where she has developed and influenced policy changes and recommendations to improve health outcomes.

Dr. Woods-Crawford is the proud mother of Margaret Elizabeth, who is the love of her life and has the honor of being the caretaker of her parents. She attends St. Pius X Catholic Church, where she is a member of the Belle Canto Choir and serves as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister. Outside of work, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and her fur babies – Koko and Kobe, fishing with her father, shopping with her mother, doing arts and crafts, volunteering in her beloved community as a Junior League of Mobile member, and celebrating the rich culture of the birthplace of Mardi Gras.

Linette Clausman, MS – Chief Financial Officer

Linette Clausman was born and raised in the Florida panhandle, surrounded by military and public service influences from rural and suburban settings. Her mother and grandmothers worked in accounting, which greatly influenced her decision to pursue a career in Accounting.

She holds a master’s degree in Accounting and has held several licenses through her past work in the finance industry. Linette’s prior work experience includes fifteen years in the non-profit sector, where she worked in accounting, operations, human resources, development, and grant writing. In April 2019, she was appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at MCHD. As CFO, she oversees accounting, patient billing, purchasing, warehouse/fixed asset inventory, and provides information to the Executive Leadership team to aid in strategic decisions making for overall financial management and performance of the agency. She and her team are currently working on implementing a new integrative accounting system.

Mrs. Clausman is happily married and considers her greatest accomplishment is her 22-year-old son, Gavin. Gavin will graduate in April with a 4.0 GPA and a bachelor’s degree in Engineering and will then pursue a master’s in Aerospace Engineering. Mrs. Clausman believes another major accomplishment is having the opportunity to mentor, train, and empower personal and professional growth in others. She feels blessed knowing she has played a small part in organizations that improve the lives of others.

Charity Gardner, MPH – Health Services Administrator

Charity Gardner grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and she said she considered her childhood to be pretty “idyllic” in a Mayberry kind of way, with wonderful parents and three siblings who are still considered her best friends today. At the age of 19, she began her big adventure, and she joined the Army. She traveled across the United States and to many countries spanning several continents before landing in Mobile.

Mrs. Gardner served in the Army for 15 years, where she led medical aid campaigns across Afghanistan and Panama, advising their national public health officer on sustainable healthcare options and completing clean water projects in remote villages. She worked on recovery efforts in New Orleans and central Louisiana following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, encompassing citizen and soldier shelter and aid. She led medical training efforts of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and non-NATO Soldiers in Italy, Germany, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She has trained thousands of Americans in American Heart Association (AHA) BLS, CPR, and First Aid. Mrs. Gardner now serves as an master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force as an intelligence analyst with the 76th Fighter Squadron at Moody AFB in Georgia — the Flying Tigers!

Mrs. Gardner joined MCHD in April 2020, and she was quite pleased to begin a job in public health at the beginning of the pandemic. Her first job at MCHD was as the Clinic Administrator for the Women’s Health Center. She currently serves as a Health Service Administrator responsible for the Mobile Medical Units, DIP, Eight Mile, Semmes, Southwest, and & Women’s Health Centers. She also serves on the Region IV Perinatal Advisory Committee, Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR), Alabama Baby Coalition, MCHD Safety Committee, and Management Council.

Mrs. Gardner attends Cottage Hill Baptist Church and enjoys hunting, traveling, reading, adventure races, and time well spent with her family. She has been married for seven years to her husband, Britton, who is the Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service office in Mobile. They have four daughters, Sheridan, Ashton, Lillian, and Sully, and one son, Rowdy. Mrs. Gardner’s diverse experience and exposure to international cultures have helped to shape her understanding of health disparities and the need to find health solutions via a health equity lens.

Pebbles King, MBA – Bureau Director of Community & Nutrition Services

Pebbles King hails from Citronelle and is the youngest of three siblings. After high school, she matriculated at Faulkner State and received her B.A from Auburn University. She completed her MBA degree at Columbia Southern University.

Ms. King began her professional work career as a substance abuse prevention specialist at Singing River Health System in Pascagoula, Miss. She shared that she chose her career in healthcare “to impact the health of communities outside of the normal ‘clinical’ duties.” In 2006, she joined MCHD as a Health Educator. Over the past 16 years, she has held several different jobs; Health Educator Coordinator, Program Administrator, and Sr. Program Administrator. Additionally, she leads the agency’s Service for Excellence initiative. In 2019, she was promoted to her current position as Bureau Director. When asked what she finds most gratifying about her job, she replied, “being able to impact all ages in Mobile County communities with public health interventions and ensuring their needs are addressed.”

Ms. King enjoys traveling and shopping in her spare time and is a motorcycle enthusiast. In addition, she is an avid motorcycle rider and regularly attends motorcycle rallies across the country.

Angela Jones-Jackson, MBA, MA – Health Services Administrator, Family Health

Angela Jones-Jackson was born in Fort Benning, Geo., and raised as a military “brat,” moving across the globe based on her father’s assignments. She lived in Germany for almost 10 years, and when her father retired from the military, her family relocated to Mobile. She is a twin and has three siblings. Angela earned aa Master of Business Administration and a Master of Art specializing in Health Care Administration.

She has more than 20 years of experience working in healthcare with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), Franklin Health Center, Health Services, Inc., and Coastal Family Health (MS). In 2019, she joined MCHD in her current role as a Health Services Administrator. She chose to make her career working with FQHCs because she is passionate about seeing the uninsured and underinsured communities be able to receive much-needed healthcare services regardless of their ability to pay. Ms. Jones-Jackson feels working with FQHCs is not just employment but a mission for her to help and serve the less fortunate. Understanding the importance of receiving early and regular health care every opportunity she gets, in and out of work, she shares with others the options they have for receiving health care services at MCHD.

Ms. Jones-Jackson has five sons who she adores and prays for daily. She is an active member of Fowl River Baptist Church, and her faith and family upbringing inform her values and desires to serve others. She enjoys reading, furniture shopping, and interior decorating in her leisure time.

March 30, 2023

Overdose reversal drug now available without a prescription

MOBILE, Ala. — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Wednesday that the makers of Narcan, an opioid overdose treatment, have the agency’s approval to make the drug widely available over the counter (OTC).

Narcan is the brand name of the drug naloxone, a fast-acting overdose reversal. Until now, availability varied by state – typically restricted to licensed health care providers, approved opioid overdose programs, and first responders. This is an important consideration for rural counties, given that research shows that these areas are nearly three times more likely than metropolitan counties to be a low-dispensing county for naloxone.

“This is a great opportunity to get life-saving products out to the lowest level in the community to address opioid overdose without a prescription,” said Dr. Kevin Philip Michaels, Health Officer for Mobile County. “Manufacturers are working with Food and Drug administration to appropriately label for over-the-counter use to be purchased as such at local pharmacies.

“Jefferson County Health Department continues to provide training and Narcan products to Alabama residents. We also have standing orders for allowing concerned family members or individuals to get Narcan/Naloxone at a local pharmacy without a prescription.”

Additional information about the distribution of Narcan can be found on the Mobile County Health Department’s news smartphone app called “My MCHD Health Check.” The following message can be found under the “MORE” section of the app:

“What is Narcan? Narcan is a medication that is used for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose. Narcan is now available over the counter without a prescription, prices may vary. You can receive free Narcan via USPS mail by visiting this link (https://www.jcdh.org/SitePages/Programs-Services/CommunityHealth/SubstanceUseAndAddiction/NaloxoneTraining.aspx) to view a simple training video from our external partner – The Jefferson County Health Department (JCHD). After viewing the training video, the trainee will receive a certificate of completion and 2 doses of Narcan by mail.”

The MCHD app is available for download for free in the App Store and Google Play. Search “My MCHD Health Check” or click the following link to download the app — https://apps.myocv.com/share/a65536603.

To learn more about MCHD’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program, call 251-410-OD2A (6322). OD2A focuses on the complex and changing nature of the drug overdose epidemic. It highlights the need for an interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and cohesive public health approach.

March 28, 2023

MCHD to discontinue use of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

MOBILE, Ala. — Effective on Friday, March 31, the Mobile County Health Department (MCHD) will no longer offer Moderna primary series for clients 12 years and older. MCHD still encourages anyone needing a primary series vaccine to consider receiving the Pfizer vaccine.

MCHD is currently unable to order Moderna through its supply chain.

The available COVID-19 vaccines are administered Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. without an appointment at our Festival Centre location (3725 Airport Boulevard, Suite 101-A, in Mobile) as well as our Southwest Public Health Clinic location (5580 Inn Road in Tillman’s Corner).

“The COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying,” said Dr. Kevin Philip Michaels, Health Officer for Mobile County. “As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, you are protected best from COVID-19 when you stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations, including the recommended boosters.”

Additionally, Dr. Michaels recommends “one updated COVID-19 booster dose for everyone aged 5 years and older who has completed their primary series.”

The https://www.vaccines.gov/ website is a good resource to search for vaccines available nearest to your location.

March 25, 2023

MCHD Cannon Team marks anniversary at Azalea Trail Run

MOBILE, Alabama — The Mobile County Health Department’s Cannon Team reached a milestone Saturday morning as they served as the official starters for the 45th annual Azalea Trail Run’s 10-kilometer and 5-kilometer events.

It was in 2016 that Dr. Bernard H. Eichold II, former Health Officer for Mobile County, began an initiative called “Declaring War on Physical Inactivity.” He pointed out that Alabama has one of the highest percentages of obesity in America.

In an effort to encourage local residents to go outside and enjoy our beautiful surroundings while exercising, Dr. Eichold arranged to borrow a Civil War re-enactment cannon to serve as the “starting gun” for the Azalea Trail Run that year. The response was so positive that Dr. Eichold acquired funds to purchase our own weapon to battle obesity. Dr. Kevin Philip Michaels, who assumed the position of Health Officer in 2022, has continued to support the mission.

The Lyle Line-Throwing Cannon, which has a 2.5-inch-diameter barrel, was manufactured in the early 1900s by Coston. It is not a replica, reproduction, or toy. The cannon was designed to fire a projectile attached to a rope to a boat or a victim in distress. Now it is used to inspire those seeking a healthier lifestyle.

Derrick Scott supervises a team of MCHD employees that has been trained to safely use the device. Joining him on Saturday were Dana Burroughs (who fired the cannon for the 10K race), Patricia Suggs (who fired the cannon for the 5K race), James Currie, Edward Franklin, William Taylor and Henry Wright.

Any other groups interested in having the MCHD Cannon Team attend their event should contact the Office of Communications by calling 251-690-8823 or via email at mbryant@mchd.org.

March 24, 2023

MCHD observes World TB Day

MOBILE, Ala. — Each year, the Mobile County Health Department (MCHD) recognizes World TB Day on March 24. This annual event commemorates the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacillus that causes tuberculosis (TB).

This year’s theme is “Yes! We can end TB!” This aims to inspire hope and encourage high-level leadership, increased investments, faster uptake of new recommendations, adoption of innovations, accelerated action, and multisectoral collaboration to combat the TB epidemic. This year is critical, with opportunities to raise visibility and political commitment at the 2023 United Nations High-Level Meeting on TB.

The World Health Organization (WHO) will also issue a call to action with partners urging member states to accelerate the rollout of the new WHO-recommended shorter all-oral treatment regimens for drug-resistant TB.

TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers. Each day, close to 4,400 people lose their lives to TB, and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 74 million lives since the year 2000.

MCHD has a close connection to treating TB. Its current headquarters at 251 North Bayou Street in Mobile once served as the Sixth District Tuberculosis Association’s hospital. The facility was named in 1973 after Frank S. Keeler, who served as the association’s president.

From October 2021 through September 2022, MCHD’s tuberculosis team provided care for 12 patients with active disease and five patients suspected of having active disease. In addition, MCHD staff often travel to patients’ homes five days a week for six months or more to directly observe therapy and monitor symptoms.

“As we recognize World TB Day, we take the opportunity to remind Mobilians that transmission still occurs locally,” said Yvonne Baynard, who oversees MCHD’s Tuberculosis program. “If you have spent time with someone with TB, been around people where TB is common or who live or work in healthcare or congregate setting, seek evaluation from your healthcare provider or call us at 251-690-8868.”

The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with conflicts across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East and socioeconomic inequities, has reversed years of progress made in the fight to end TB, and placed an even heavier burden on those affected, especially the most vulnerable. In its latest Global Tuberculosis Report, WHO highlighted that for the first time in over a decade, estimated TB incidence and deaths have increased.