HSPH student Smitha Arekapudi (l) with Senator Edward Kennedy and DPHP Director Deborah Prothrow-Stith

"The fortunate few can afford the latest in medical technology and the most effective new medications, but too many others are left without the best treatments available in today’s health care," said Kennedy. "That disparity is wrong. The American people know it is wrong, and the problem is getting worse."

Kennedy received the Julius B. Richmond Award from HSPH Dean Barry Bloom. The award is named after a former US Surgeon General and professor of health policy emeritus at HSPH. Richmond was also the founding director of the National Head Start Program and former Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services from 1977 to 1981.

The Division of Public Health Practice (DPHP) at HSPH hosts the annual award ceremony, now in its sixth year.

Kennedy pointed out that the number of Americans with no health insurance grew by two million this past year–the largest increase in a decade–making a total of 41 million uninsured Americans. He predicted that more than 52 million Americans will be uninsured by the end of the decade if nothing is done to curb the trend. An estimated 80 percent of the uninsured are workers or family members of workers.

Julius Richmond spoke at the event. The Richmond trophy is to the right.

Kennedy intends to introduce a proposal for universal coverage for all Americans in the new Congress. He said the coverage would be similar to what federal employees receive now.

To help realize universal health coverage, every business should be required to provide quality health insurance for employees and their dependents, he said.

Kennedy dismissed potential criticism that enacting universal health care coverage would be too daunting for Congress. He pointed to Congress’ recent approval of the creation of a Department of Homeland Security, the largest government reorganization in US history, as a sign that Congress would be up to the task.

Spiraling health care and insurance premium costs have driven the increased number of the uninsured, said Kennedy. Reducing administrative costs by using information technology could save billions of dollars a year and could finance universal health care, he said.

Other speakers at this year’s ceremony included Julius Richmond, who recognized Kennedy as a strong advocate of health care reform and as a champion, in particular, of the needs of poor children.

HSPH Dean Barry Bloom, in addition to giving the Richmond award to Kennedy, acknowledged the support of the lecture’s attendees and introduced Harvard University President Lawrence Summers.

	Senator Kennedy (l) and HSPH Dean Barry Bloom

Summers described HSPH as a school with a mission of intellectual interest that will make a profound difference in the future, as it has in the past, and he credited Julius Richmond with saving tens of thousands of lives as a result of his work as Surgeon General.

HSPH Dean for Academic Affairs James Ware described the establishment of the Division of Public Health Practice (DPHP) several years ago as a response to a call by the Institute of Medicine for schools of public health to engage more in practice. He introduced a video about DPHP called "Research in Action."

DPHP Director Deborah Prothrow-Stith described several programs at DPHP (visit here for an example) and thanked the programs’ supporters. She also acknowledged Kennedy and Richmond’s work.

WBZ-TV news anchor Liz Walker emceed the event.

Also in attendance was the former president of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda, and Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Howard Koh.