In Boston, residents like Brown, who suffers from a lung disease, face significant health risks during the brutal summer heat, particularly as breathing becomes increasingly difficult without adequate air conditioning.
A Harvard University study aimed at providing air conditioning units to one hundred residents with medical conditions has been severely impacted by governmental funding cuts.
Originally set to distribute window units in June, many residents faced delays or outright cancellations of support due to the Trump administration’s decision to rescind $3 billion in federal funding intended for the university.
According to Gary Adamkiewicz, the project leader and an associate professor of environmental health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the recent heat wave highlighted the urgency of the situation.
He expressed his distress, stating, “It really breaks my heart that yesterday was the day that folks could have really benefited from already having an air conditioner.”
The funding cuts were part of President Donald Trump’s broader agenda to penalize Harvard for perceived liberal bias and alleged shortcomings in protecting Jewish students from antisemitism.
These cuts have particularly affected the public health school, which relies on federal support for 40 percent of its budget, disrupting crucial research that seeks to improve community health.
Jonathan Levy, chair of the environmental health department at the Boston University School of Public Health, emphasized the practical implications of this research, saying, “These are practical projects to help the most vulnerable in society.”
In response to the funding cuts, Harvard has initiated legal action against the Trump administration, with the outcome still pending after recent oral arguments.
Additionally, other public health initiatives targeting the wellbeing of Bostonians have also suffered from funding reductions.
Dr. Mary Rice, a pulmonologist and director of the public health school’s Center for Climate Health, faced a $750,000 shortfall in a five-year grant aimed at studying Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
She had enrolled 180 residents with COPD in a randomized clinical trial to assess whether air purifiers could mitigate harmful pollution exposure.
Despite the setbacks, Dr. Rice is determined to see her project to completion by securing bridge grants from Harvard.
However, she faces ongoing financial challenges, as she must raise additional funds to analyze crucial biological samples that could provide insights into pollution effects on health.
“I have put so much energy into this study,” she said.
In the meantime, Adamkiewicz’s air conditioner study, valued at $3.75 million, continues in a modified form.
Only 60 residents are now participating, with plans for affected participants to receive a window unit this summer.
Initially, the project also included two other health-related initiatives aimed at improving living conditions abroad, both of which have been canceled due to the funding cuts.
Those projects were aimed at testing cooling systems in homes in South Africa and Madagascar, but missed the opportunity to proceed as intended.
In Boston, many inhabitants, especially those in older subsidized houses constructed between the 1930s and 1960s, currently lack central air conditioning.
Among the 10,000 units owned by the Boston Housing Authority, only 250 have efficient ductless cooling systems.
Brian Jordan, a spokesperson for the BHA, shared that the local government is transitioning to install such systems in public housing, but the process will take years due to high costs.
While waiting for upgrades, BHA facilities offer community air-conditioned rooms for elderly and disabled residents.
Residents are generally responsible for procuring their own air conditioning units, and while Jordan notes that most have them, many still struggle.
Brown, who lives in the Franklin Fields complex, is among the residents unable to afford an air conditioner and has resorted to various temporary measures to cope with the heat.
He expressed his relief upon receiving an air conditioning unit on July 17, feeling as though he had entered “Disneyland,” despite knowing that 40 others in his situation missed out on this vital assistance.
Reflecting on the difficult conditions prior to receiving the unit, Brown mentioned, “There are times when I feel like I’m suffocating. I can’t breathe, so I would try to come outside where maybe there was a cool breeze or something.”
As he adjusts to his new living conditions, the impact of the funding cuts resonates deeply within the community, underscoring the dire need for accessible health interventions amid rising temperatures.
As Adamkiewicz puts it, the aim of this research is to build a deeper understanding and potentially implement broader solutions in the future.
With summer temperatures rising and more heat waves expected, the issue of air conditioning accessibility remains a pressing concern, especially for vulnerable populations like Brown.
image source from：bostonglobe
