Title
Honoring Dr. Ala Stanford and the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium for their contribution to health and equity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Body
WHEREAS, Dr. Ala Stanford and the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium's mobile testing and vaccination clinics are trailblazers in community organization and equity during this public health crisis due to their barrier-free access to testing and vaccination in the hardest-hit communities; and
WHEREAS, A board certified pediatric surgeon, Dr. Stanford grew up in North Philadelphia knowing she wanted to be a doctor. She chose surgery as her specialty, defying expectations placed upon her. During medical school, she transcended the pressure to become a primary care physician, which is often less revered and lucrative than positions in leading hospitals and academic centers; and
WHEREAS, When the pandemic arrived in Philadelphia in early 2020, Dr. Stanford did not wait for someone else to reach communities in need. She recognized that African Americans were disproportionately affected by the virus. In Philadelphia, African Americans made up over half of cases. In fact, people living in majority Black counties were infected at three times the rate and dying at almost six times the rate of people living in majority white counties. This was due in part to pre-existing conditions, the high number of African Americans working essential jobs, and the history and institutional racism of African Americans being treated unfairly by the medical community, which impacted their access to testing. Initial testing sites required a medical appointment and to arrive in a car. Despite having taken multiple buses to reach testing sites, many African Americans were being turned away because they arrived on foot and/or lacked medical insurance; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Stanford used her own funds to purchase a first round of personal protective equipment and test kits and made house calls in a rented van. Next, she brought services directly ...
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