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Chicago mayor fires Dr. Allison Arwady despite plea from board of public health
Dr. Allison Arwady, the Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, was fired Friday.
CHICAGO - Dr. Allison Arwady, the Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, was fired Friday.
This comes after the Chicago Board of Public Health asked Mayor Brandon Johnson to keep her in her seat.
Arwady was appointed by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2020 and led the city through the pandemic.
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Arwady has been at CDPH since 2015 and initially served as Chief Medical Officer, overseeing the disease control, environmental health, emergency preparedness and behavioral health divisions.
Before working at CDPH, Arwady also worked for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer.
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Chicago Board of Health urges Mayor Johnson to retain Arwady
The Chicago Board of Health is asking Mayor Brandon Johnson not to fire Dr. Allison Arwady from her role as the city's top health official.
Arwady released a statement on Twitter, saying:
"Over a decade of working in public health in Chicago--including four years as the Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health--my top priority has always been protecting the health of all Chicagoans. It has been the best chapter of my life (so far!) leading the CDPH team, especially through the COVID pandemic, when public health was needed more than ever. Public health must always be driven by science and medicine, and never politics. It is critical that this work receives the funding needed to remain strong, and that the next CDPH Commissioner shares this department’s commitment to health equity. I have every confidence in the CDPH team. I applaud them for all that they have done and continue to do, and I was especially disappointed not to get a chance to say goodbye. Public health remains my passion. I am dedicated to continuing this work, even if I am not able to continue to serve the city I love as your commissioner. As a physician and public health leader, my work to advance health, equity, and justice, particularly for those on the margins, will continue."