Down to Earth Blog

After Five Years, Money and Treatment Guidelines Arrive: Today we remember the horrible events of 9/11 and mourn the people who lost their lives that day. It was a day of disbelief and pain, both of which still well up in me each time I think about it.

The rescue and clean-up workers of the World Trade Center site know some additional disbelief and pain: They suffer serious illnesses due to inhaling the toxic air at Ground Zero while working. It is only now, five years later, that the first federal funds are arriving for treating 9/11 health issues that affect some 40,000 people. (See "9/11's Grim Toll on Health Continues" from Forbes.com)

In addition, the Associated Press reports that "The New York City Health Department issued long-awaited instructions to doctors Thursday for treating and detecting illnesses related to the Sept. 11 attacks." (See "NYC Releases Guideline for 9/11 Ills"). So for five years there were no treatment guidelines?

Common is the "chronic, soot-laden hacking known as 'World Trade Center Cough,'" according to Forbes.

AP also reports that a Mount Sinai Medical Center study of 16,000 Ground Zero workers finds that "Nearly 70 percent of the rescue and cleanup workers who toiled in the dust and fumes at ground zero have had trouble breathing, and many will probably be sick for the rest of their lives."

Many were exposed to "asbestos, pulverized concrete, mercury and toxins that will leave them chronically sick. " Yet Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, "I don't believe that you can say specifically a particular problem came from this particular event." Give me a break. Why is it that public officials rarely take public health seriously?

Democracy Now did a good report last week about a New York City town hall meeting about the health issues, in which Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney of New York describes how Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt told her he now has the "A team" working on this issue. Ah, the best team after five years go by; not a real fast response.

That seems to be the bottom line:  The government has responded slowly to address 9/11 health issues, both with money and with treatment guidelines.  It's another sad part to a  very sad story.

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