[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 102 (Tuesday, June 19, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING ALFIO RAUSA, MD, MPH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 19, 2018

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. 
Alfio Rausa, M.D., a public health hero who worked valiantly for half a 
century to improve the health of Mississippians.
  Dr. Alfio Rausa, M.D. passed away at home after several months of 
illness on January 3, 2018. He leaves a legacy of dedication to 
countless public health and community efforts, including his work at 
the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH); his work as a family 
medicine physician; his contributions to the Golden Age Nursing Home; 
his founding of Life Help, a regional mental health and retardation 
center; his founding of a youth soccer league; his work as Chairman of 
the Fannie Lou Hamer Cancer Foundation; and his contributions to many 
other projects and boards. He is the recipient of many awards and 
honors, including the 2007 Greenwood Commonwealth Community Service 
Award and the 1992 Felix J. Underwood Award for public health service.
  Dr. Rausa originally came to Greenwood as a Lieutenant Commander with 
the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a position 
he held from 1966 to 1970. Raised in the Bronx, Dr. Rausa's intention 
was to stay in Mississippi for a year, but his plans changed when he 
saw all the work to be done.
  In 1970, Dr. Rausa accepted a position as Regional Public Health 
Officer in Greenwood with MSDH, and in 1980, he was promoted to 
District Health Officer. At first he was over Public Health District 
III and then over District I as well, for a total of 18 counties, 
including some of the poorest in the state. He held this position until 
last summer when he retired, partly because of the consolidation of 
offices due to state budget cuts.
  As District Health Officer, one of the projects for which Dr. Rausa 
served as medical consultant was WIC and its breastfeeding peer 
counselor program. He fully supported this program, always encouraged 
the peer counselors, and was always willing to speak with other 
physicians, the media, hospitals, or at events about the benefits of 
breastfeeding. He emceed CHAMPS' first conference in Mississippi in 
2015, ``The Delta Breastfeeding Summit,'' and gave opening comments on 
the importance of breastfeeding.
  Freddie White-Johnson, MPPA, President and Founder of the Fannie Lou 
Hamer Cancer Foundation, where Dr. Rausa served as Chairman until his 
death, also has fond memories of Dr. Rausa. She knew him since she was 
29 years old when she worked for him on a project called Partners for 
Improved Nutrition and Health and then at MSDH.
  He served as District III health officer for the Mississippi 
Department of Health, overseeing its disease-control and wellness 
efforts in a nine county area that included Leflore and Carroll 
counties.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Alfio 
Rausa, MD, MPH for his dedication to serving others.

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