that goal . As health officer for the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department , I was thrilled to pursue the dream of helping people at a population level . I started off leading county health departments and then moved on to the state health department .
WVE : How has being raised as the son of a diplomat influenced your life choices and work ?
RG : At the White House , I work at the intersection of national security , public health , financial security and international diplomacy . Every prior experience has helped prepare me for this role , and this includes seeing diplomacy up close as the son of an Indian diplomat . One of my greatest responsibilities is working with other countries to disrupt the flow of deadly drugs into the U . S ., including Mexico , India and the People ’ s Republic of China . Our country ’ s relationship with China is a difficult one , and sometimes the only area in which we ’ re making progress with them is drug policy because both countries recognize this is a shared problem . With India , I was there just last October to build on our two countries ’ agreement to the most significant drug policy framework in history . This far-reaching and innovative bilateral agreement addresses not only counternarcotics and global public health but also the pharmaceutical supply chain , which drug traffickers are trying to exploit . When it comes to the global synthetic drug crisis , I joined Secretary of State Antony Blinken to announce the launch of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats , which has brought together more than 150 countries .
WVE : What motivated you to focus your work on substance use ? Specifically , what led you to West Virginia ?
RG : I came to West Virginia to lead the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department , the largest in the state , and took on leading the Putnam County Health Department at the same time .
When I became the state health commissioner in 2015 , I was tasked with managing health problems facing the entire state . Substance use disorder was at the top of that list , and I was determined to stop our people from dying .
In 2016 , I ordered a social autopsy of the state ’ s overdose deaths , which was the first of its kind in the nation . We found that the people who were dying often didn ’ t finish high school and had blue collar jobs . They had interacted with the health system a number of times , including after overdoses , but the health system didn ’ t help get them into addiction treatment . So , we took several steps to change the status quo . We worked with the Legislature to create the first office of drug policy in West Virginia ’ s history so someone would be overseeing our state ’ s response .
WVE : Reflecting on your years in West Virginia , what strategies have you seen effectively combat substance use issues in rural areas , and what role do local communities play ?
RG : West Virginia is a resilient state full of wonderful people — some of our nation ’ s best and brightest — but it ’ s often overlooked and under-resourced on the national stage . I brought this knowledge and experience with me to the White House , and it ’ s helped me channel our efforts into saving lives across rural America .
At the same time , some of the most important work to address this crisis happens at the local level . It ’ s critical that people in local communities have the tools they need to succeed . This includes knowing the risks of fentanyl , the lifesaving power of naloxone and how to get it and where to turn for treatment and recovery support services . When I was in West Virginia , I signed a standing order so people who needed naloxone could get it without a prescription . Thanks to our work in the White House , naloxone is now available over the counter and more accessible and affordable than ever before . Similarly , there are 15 times more medical providers today who can start people on treatment for opioid addiction than any time prior . We ’ ve also empowered local communities to take
Gupta meets with representatives from The Martinsburg Initiative to hear about their efforts to prevent youth substance use . Photo by Office of National Drug Control Policy .
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