Maine leaders, citizens should put public health first

By Virginia Templet, Puritan Medical Products marketing director

This Monday, March 30 marks the start of National Public Health Week, an annual celebration of America’s progress on health and wellness. Celebrating World Health Day on Tuesday, March 31, this time of year is also an important reminder about the progress we can still make.

According to new polling, 70% of Americans are concerned about the affordability of healthcare. From obesity to mental health concerns surrounding social media use, our society faces many unique and difficult challenges. This is especially true in Maine, which grapples with rising costs, workforce shortages and funding gaps. Even flu transmission remains elevated in our state and beyond.

While other domestic and foreign policy issues make the headlines today (and for good reason), we should all remember to keep public health front and center. After all, public health — a collective, never-ending effort to promote health and wellness — has drastically improved daily lives, supported families, and strengthened communities despite our many challenges. From policymakers to medical professionals and private-sector innovators, we all have a role to play.

Fortunately, many Mainers have access to key health resources. While healthcare access is not guaranteed in some communities, especially more rural parts of the state, testing has never been more efficient or effective. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the accessibility of testing played a pivotal role in mitigating the harms of a novel virus.

And that is just one example. As sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis become more common, people can take comfort in the fact that all three are curable with antibiotics. All three are also easily diagnosable, with syphilis confirmed via blood test while chlamydia and gonorrhea tests can be detected with swab samples of the genitals, throat or anus.

Or take the common flu, which saw a massive spike this year. Doctors’ visits related to flu-like illnesses reached the highest recorded rate since 1997. Not only have tens of millions of Americans come down with the flu in recent months, but thousands have died from the illness (including dozens of children).

The best way to slow transmission is to accelerate detection and diagnosis. When clinics and labs move fast, consistent specimen collection becomes one of the simplest ways to support reliable results and reduce avoidable retests. From rapid influenza diagnostic tests to rapid molecular tests and RT-PCRs, flu testing can produce results in a matter of minutes. Viral cultures take longer, but they are integral to strain characterization and surveillance. And the end result — across various flu tests — is better information that ultimately guides better decisions.

Of course, testing is just one component of public health. But it is a fundamental building block that establishes a firmer foothold for people to know what ails them and respond appropriately, with the help of medical experts. By 2033, the global medical swabs market will nearly double to  more than $6 billion, growing over seven percent a year. This means more detection, more accurate diagnosis, and improved health outcomes in the years ahead.

There is a reason why U.S. life expectancy is expected to grow for decades to come. What was an average of 78.3 years in 2022 for both sexes combined will jump to 79.9 years in 2035 and 80.4 years in 2050, and that is worth celebrating. While we are often reminded of the risks of chronic disease and other public health challenges, we can only bring about future progress by building on our current foundation.

This National Public Health Week and on World Health Day, I am optimistic about the future for healthcare, diagnostics, forensics, and other aspects of public health. With the public and private sectors working in unison, we can live in a healthier America where detection and diagnosis come together for the greater good.