National Public Health Week is April 2-8

The theme designated for this year’s National Public Health Week (April 2-8) is ‘Take the First Step: Preparedness and Public Health Threats.” Each day of the week will address the unique needs of the nation’s most vulnerable populations including mothers and young children, hourly-wage workers, schools serving K-12 grades, food banks, and individuals with chronic health conditions.

‘Because this is our first year to take part in National Public Health Week, the student public health organization of the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health (JPHCOPH) has chosen to focus on Tuesday’s initiative, local food banks,” said Kelley Chester, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Coordinator for JPHCOPH. ‘On Tuesday, April 3, we will hold a food drive in the rotunda of the Russell Union, with everything we gather going to the Statesboro Food Bank.”

During National Public Health Week, the American Public Health Association will help develop a preparedness plan for those most vulnerable to potential public health threats. For example, local food banks are an essential part of the community, and become even more important in times of disaster. Among the questions local food banks must consider:

  • Structural – Can the building withstand a natural disaster?
  •  Nutrition – Does the food bank have enough of the right type of food to meet the most common special nutritional and dietary concerns?
  • Logistics – If normal methods of food delivery and/or donation are disrupted, are there alternate transportation plans?
  • Communications – If communication systems are down, how will the food bank tell the community it is open for business?

‘National Public Health Week gives us a chance to let people know how important the public health programs are in the United States,” said Chester. ‘Public health impacts everyone’s life, every day, everywhere, and its programs deserve everyone’s support.”

More information about National Public Health Week is available at http://www.nphw.org/2007/home.htm.

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