In public health, we have a saying that underscores the invisible impact of the work: “When prevention works, absolutely nothing happens.”

Everyday, you experience the quiet magic of public health. You may drive in your car with confidence in the safety features in case of an accident. You may drink from your tap and never worry about contracting a deadly diarrheal disease like cholera. You may walk outside and breathe clean air without checking a smog index. You may send your children to school and expect they’ll return without spreading a life-threatening illness. Many of the gains in life expectancy and quality of life that we have seen in the past century can be attributed to public health programs and innovations.

When public health works, the world feels safe enough for the ordinar

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