New York, NY —

So far, the people suffering from Nine Eleven related illness must rely on a patchwork quilt of federal, state and local programs for their medical screening and treatment. Earlier this year, two local congressmembers pushed to have the Bush Administration create a federal 9/11 health czar. This week, they got one.

The US Health Secretary appointed Dr. John Howard to the post. He's also the director of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, which is part of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He joins WNYC's All Things Considered host Amy Eddings to talk about his new job.