Dr. Willie Lawrence will serve as the medical director of the city of Benton Harbor following action Tuesday by city commissioners. Speaking at the commission’s meeting, Mayor Marcus Muhammad said Lawrence will help advise the city on health matters and serve the community from the new BHSH Spectrum Health Lakeland facility in Benton Harbor.
“I support Dr. Lawrence in his effort to help bring more resources, more education, work with our youth, work with our seniors because one person, we know, cannot tackle the problems of Benton Harbor alone.”
Lawrence will be the city’s medical director, while Dr. Don Tynes continues to serve as public health director at the Benton Harbor Health Center. Commissioner Sharon Henderson said she was glad to get more help.
“This is actually a great thing to have two Black, strong men in our community supporting and supporting our community,” Henderson said. “It’s a great thing, and so I am definitely in support of this, and I would love to see more of that.”
Dr. Lawrence served as chair of the oversight committee for the American Heart Association effort to reduce racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes. He will serve as Benton Harbor Medical Director free of charge.
