Detroit Health Department Director Talks Social Justice Through Medicine

What does it take to improve health and healthcare for everyone in Detroit?

Laura Weber Davis/WDET

The infant mortality rate in the city of Detroit rivals that of third world countries.

High childhood asthma rates here can be correlated with pollution in certain parts of the city.

And residents face uphill battles with obesity, heart disease, and an often frustrating healthcare system.

Any major city faces a lot of issues when it comes to public health, but there are moments when it appears there is even more work to be done to make life equitable and and good for everyone.  

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is the man in charge of making headway on those issues.  El-Sayed is the executive director of the Detroit Health Department. He’s a medical doctor by training, but has dedicated his career to the intersection of medicine, policy, and social justice.

To hear his conversation on Detroit Today with host Stephen Henderson, click on the audio player above.

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    Dynamic and diverse voices. News, politics, community and the issues that define our region. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Henderson, Detroit Today brings you fresh and perceptive views weekdays at 9 am and 7 pm.