“Whatever
the structure and mechanisms that are in place today to save failing health
departments, I think the Putnam County Health Department is an example that
they do not work,” said Rahul Gupta, health officer and executive director of
the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department.
Gupta
went before the Finance Committee during interim meetings to explain the
current partnership between the ailing Putnam County Health Department and the
Kanawha-Charleston Health Department and propose it as a possible solution for
operating health departments in the state.
The
Putnam County Health Department contracted services with Kanawha-Charleston in
June to combat mounting financial problems.
Gupta
told lawmakers the partnership has resulted in positive outcomes.
“We
are talking about an increase in services by several hundred percent while
decreasing their budget by 41 percent,” Gupta said.
To be
exact, there has been a net increase of public health services provided to the
residents of Putnam
County
Gupta
said they achieved this by reducing overhead, providing capitol savings,
reducing inventory and improving resource management. This is all part of a
concept Gupta said can help other health departments.
“I
believe in local control and self-control with checks and balances,” he
said.
Gupta
told committee members he wasn’t asking them to take control of the state
health department, but simply to take a closer look at revising the current
system.
“This is really a time to
look at us and see, can we restructure and can we find a way to get it right
where there are proper checks and balances and perhaps approach the future
challenges in a much more savvy manner,” Gupta said.
