The National Medical Association’s Declares Gun Violence and Violence prevention a public health crisis that demands that the Government take immediate action
31 people in America are dead and more seriously injured as a result of gun violence within a time window of under 24 hours. Our hearts are saddened and are with the families and love ones of these victims. These events also occurred after recent detailed discussions of the impact of gun violence in America at the National Medical Association’s (NMA’s) Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly in Hawaii last week.
We consider gun violence and violence prevention a public health crisis that demands a multifaceted approach to stem the gun violence that is terrorizing our country.
The NMA calls on the United States Senate to pass and President Donald Trump to sign and pass into law HR8, which expands background checks, and HR 674, which authorizes the CDC to conduct or support research on firearms safety and gun violence prevention. The NMA also calls on the federal government to immediately convene a bipartisan commission to evaluate immediate steps to reduce and eventually eliminate gun violence utilizing a public health approach.
The time is now for sensible gun reform due to over 400,000,000 guns owned by Americans and yet mass shootings make up 1% of the gun violence in this country.
The NMA, the oldest and largest professional organization for minority physicians in America, is the collective voice of African American physicians and the leading force for parity and justice in medicine, and the elimination of disparities in health.
