Dr. Leana Wen, the health commissioner for the city of Baltimore, has been named the new president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
NPR reports that Wen wants to help Planned Parenthood continue providing health care for women.
“In the ER, I saw what happens every day when people don’t have access to the basic right to health care,” Wen said. “I remember seeing a young woman lying on a stretcher, pulseless and unresponsive, because of a home abortion–because she was too scared to seek medical care.
“I have seen firsthand the lifesaving work it does for our most vulnerable communities. As a doctor, I will ensure we continue to provide high-quality health care, including the full range of reproductive care, and will fight to protect the access of millions of patients who rely on Planned Parenthood.”
When Dr. Wen was interviewed by NPR for a series about health issues in Baltimore, she described what she had learned on that job.
“I’ve learned that I like a fight,” she said. “As a doctor, trying to save lives, and, as health commissioner, trying to advance legislation, change public perceptions and start new programs.
“I like a fight, and I’m good at it, and that is what motivates me.”