Each year, the Virginia Department of Health’s New River Health District celebrates National Public Health Week, April 2-8 this year, to promote the successes, acknowledge the challenges and identify the opportunities to improve community health in the New River Valley.
“Everyone deserves to live a long and healthy life in a safe environment,” said Noelle Bissell, M.D., director, New River Health District. “VDH works to reduce the risk factors affecting the health of individuals and prevent disease within our communities. Where we live, work, worship and play impacts each of us and can determine our health and how long we live.”
The health district will celebrate this year’s theme, “Healthiest Nation 2030: Changing Our Future Together,” in a number of ways:
· Staff will participate in a walking and exercise competition, as part of the American Public Health Association’s national “1 Billion Steps Challenge.”
· Staff will promote NPHW by adding the NPHW logo and tag line to email signatures.
· The Pearisburg Library will promote health-related books, with health-related story time, art activities, toothbrushes and health education.
· Montgomery County’s Kipps Elementary students will paint, draw and write about what being healthy means to them.
· Staff will issue daily Facebook posts and tweets.
· Several local towns, cities and counties will issue proclamations confirming their commitment to protecting all citizens, preventing disease, promoting health and wellness, encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, protecting the public through vaccinations, promoting a healthy environment, preventing injuries, preventing drug use and abuse, creating the Healthiest State in the Nation and proclaiming April 2-8, 2018 as National Public Health Week.
· Staff will provide education, outreach and free testing for sexually transmitted infections at Virginia Tech, Radford University, all local health departments and with primary care physicians.
· The district’s Farmacy Garden in Christiansburg will host a health-themed gardening workday at the Big Event, a local community volunteer day April 7.
· Staff will broadcast a series of short, entertaining and informative videos about the work VDH does every day to achieve, ensure and promote better health outcomes in our communities, on social media and at local health departments.
· Local health districts will display special NPHW banners in lobbies.
· “Dizzy,” the district’s costumed mascot will make special appearances.
· Staff will wear buttons with NPHW themes during the week.
NPHW will observe a specific theme each day, and the district’s activities will align with these themes, wherever possible.
- Wednesday, April 4: Environmental Health – Protect and maintain a healthy planet. Reduce carbon emissions. Protect natural resources with evidence-based policies. Promote transportation planning for walking, biking and public transit.
- Thursday, April 5: Injury and Violence Prevention – Reduce and prevent community violence. Advocate for occupational health and safety standards. Support policies that save those struggling with addiction.
- Friday, April 6: Ensuring the Right to Health – Advocate for everyone’s right to a healthy life, free from preventable disease and disability. The places where we live, learn, work, worship and play should promote our health, not threaten it.
NPHW has published a series of fact sheets at www.nphw.org/nphw-2018/fact-sheets, recognizing certain health priorities and the fact that everyone has a role to play in these issues:
- Build a nation of safe, healthy communities, including healthy housing, parks and playgrounds. Support farmers markets and local businesses that value health.
- Help all young people graduate from high school. Education is the leading indicator of good health, giving people access to better jobs, incomes and neighborhoods.
- Increase economic mobility. Fix our country’s growing income inequality.
- Achieve social justice and health equity. Remove barriers so everyone has the same opportunity to improve their lives and their health.
- Give everyone a choice of safe, healthy food. Food should be affordable, nutritious and free from harmful contaminants. Eliminate food deserts. Start a community garden.
- Prepare for the health effects of climate change. Protect the air, both indoors and outdoors, and drinking water. Help communities prepare.
- Make the healthy choice the easy choice. Avoid using tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. Eat healthy foods and exercise.
- Provide quality health care for everyone. Expand access to quality care at the federal, state and local levels. Shift the focus of our health system from treatment to prevention.
- Strengthen public health infrastructure and capacity.
For more information on the New River Health District, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/new-river/ or call 540-585-3300.
For more information on National Public Health Week, visit www.nphw.org/nphw-2018.
