National Public Health Week April 1-7, 2019
SPRINGFIELD – While most people think of restaurant inspections when they think of public health, there is so much more. If you have ever used a public swimming pool, gone to a hospital, needed an ambulance, or received a flu shot, you’ve received public health services. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), in conjunction with 97 certified health departments across the state, works every day to control infectious diseases, ensure food safety, conduct newborn screenings, provide immunizations, regulate hospitals and nursing homes, compile birth, death, and other statistics, and educate communities on how to live healthier lives. April 1-7, 2019 is National Public Health Week, a time to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving the health of our nation.
“Public health impacts our daily lives, often in invisible ways,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “Public health helps protect you from disease outbreaks caused by influenza, measles, salmonella, and many others, as well as protecting you from chronic conditions like heart disease and obesity, by providing education and programs for healthy living. During National Public Health Week, I want to encourage people to take advantage of all that public health has to offer.”
Over the past year, IDPH has helped ensure the health and safety of Illinois residents in many ways. In September 2018, IDPH requested hepatitis A vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent a hepatitis A outbreak in Illinois after numerous states, including several bordering Illinois, reported large hepatitis A outbreaks. In October 2018, IDPH released Illinois’ first Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Report that identified statewide trends in maternal deaths and provided recommendations to help prevent maternal mortality. And in January 2019, IDPH was successful in getting rules approved that lowered the level at which public health interventions are initiated for children with lead poisoning.
Every year National Public Health Week has daily themes to help people live longer, healthier lives.
More information about National Public Health Week can be found at http://nphw.org/.