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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the
3novel coronavirus that has resulted in a worldwide pandemic
4infecting almost 3 million people around the globe and taking
5200,000 lives; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Illinois has battled the virus valiantly, with
7803,973 tests performed so far and the number growing every
8day; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The State's efforts and response were led by the
10Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, Dr. Ngozi
11Ezike, who joined the department after serving Cook County
12Health for more than 15 years; and
 
13    WHEREAS, In Dr. Ezike's last role with Cook County Health,
14she served as medical director at the Cook County Juvenile
15Detention Center, the largest single site juvenile detention
16facility in the country; and
 
17    WHEREAS, During Dr. Ezike's time with the Cook County
18Juvenile Detention Center, she was instrumental in creating and
19implementing the facility's health policies as the first step
20of many for coming out of federal receivership and achieving
21national accreditation for the detention center; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Dr. Ezike has previously served as the medical
2director for the Austin Health Center on the West Side of
3Chicago, where she engaged with the community through health
4initiatives involving obesity, diabetes, and breastfeeding;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, Dr. Ezike graduated with honors from Harvard
7College with a concentration in chemistry; she earned her
8medical degree from the University of California at San Diego;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, Dr. Ezike is a national policy advisor on juvenile
11correctional health topics, and she has presented at numerous
12local and national conferences for medical professionals and
13youth audiences alike; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Much of the State's response to the COVID-19
15pandemic has been guided by Dr. Ezike's leadership; she has
16been a strong, steadfast, and empathetic voice to the entire
17State; with her cheerful yet resolved demeanor, she has bridged
18gaps to enhance connectivity as the State battles this
19pandemic; therefore, be it
 
20    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
21HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that

 

 

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1we commend Dr. Ngozi Ezike on her continued leadership and
2commitment to the Department of Public Health and the State of
3Illinois during the COVID-19 pandemic; and be it further
 
4    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
5presented to Dr. Ezike as an expression of our esteem and
6respect.