Mayor Matthew Block has signed a proclamation to show the community's support of April as North Carolina Public Health Month.
"Public health is important," Block said at the Monday afternoon ceremony. "Although doctors and hospitals and nurses get a lot of credit, many of the advances in health have come from public initiatives."
Some county health officials believe that the public health department's impact on citizens' lives, from food and water quality to vaccinations for school children, is beneath the radar for many county residents.
“Public Health is a quiet miracle, silently ensuring that our most basic and critical life needs are met,” Ron Sapp, Health Director for the Scotland County Health Department said. “But because public health generally works to prevent problems, it often goes unnoticed. If people could imagine how chaotic and unsafe things would be without public health, they would appreciate the important role it plays in their daily lives.”
According to Health Educator and Healthy Carolinians Coordinator Kathie Cox, the mayor's proclamation should go a long way toward raising public awareness about North Carolina Public Health Month in Scotland County, and by extension the role the county health department plays in everyone's lives.
"North Carolina Public Health Month began as 'Public Health Week' in 1978," Cox said, "and was later expanded to include the month of April. By signing this proclamation, the mayor raises the issue to a higher profile, thus making residents more aware of this influential force in their lives. I thank Mayor Block for his words and actions today."
In addition to the mayor's official gesture, the Scotland County Health Department will celebrate the month of April with a variety of public service announcements and articles.
“We hope county residents will benefit from the public health articles and announcements through the local newspaper and local radio station,” Sapp said.
This year’s theme is “Building the Foundation for a Healthy America.”
The Scotland County Health Department staff have been working with and serving the public health needs of Scotland County residents for over 65 years, providing clinical, environmental, health education and other programs. To schedule a formal presentation about public health for your civic or social group, call Kathie Cox, Health Educator and Healthy Carolinians Coordinator, at 277-2440.
County residents are also encouraged to attend regular meetings of the Scotland County Board of Health to learn more about public health policy in Scotland County. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Health is Tuesday, April 21st at 7:00 p.m. at the Health Department Education Classroom.
For more information about how public health is working for you, please call Scotland County Health Department at 277-2440 or visit the website: www.scotlandcountyhealth.org.
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