100% backing for Gun Violence Resolutions to the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) Annual Meeting! When Dr. Tsveti Markova, associate dean and department head of Family Medicine at Wayne State University wrote a letter supported by all her family medicine department calling strongly for approval of the resolutions that Anne Kittendorf and I will bring to the MAFP next week I was elated! Wayne was the last, arguably the most important, of the three medical school’s family medicine departments to endorse these resolutions. Dr. Markova noted how committed her department is to the Detroit community and reducing the gun violence that plagues it. This gives us a beginning in Detroit.
Earlier MSU’s Dr. William Wadland and 10 of his faculty joined UM’s FM chair, Dr. Phillip Zazove in support. This may be historic to have all three medical schools bringing a voice to this public health problem. It bodes well for PPGV to have these partners. We are a long ways behind the gun lobby, but we can be better. This helps!
Other members of PPGV in addition to Dr. Zazove have played important roles. UM’s James Peggs and Steve Thiry, head of FM at St. Joe each wrote a letter and Stefani Hudson, winner of the MAFP’s Physician of the Year award, is writing another.
The resolutions which will be offered next week at the MAFP Annual Meeting by Dr. Kittendorf and me are first to bring the national AAFP policies into our state http://ppgv.org/?page_
On July 18 even if we don’t get all the support and action from MAFP that we’d like, helping the medical schools to see the possibilities in working together on this issue may be enough.
PPGV was also represented at the Washtenaw County’s Gun Safety Week kickoff held by Sheriff Jerry Clayton and involving all the county’s police agencies. Gun locks and promoting gun storage while protecting kids from firearms was the highlighted. Other community agencies and officials were in attendance.
Lastly, please Like Us on Facebook. ppgv.org