Public Health Week

Health Department Steps Up its Public Health Nurse Recruitment
- Two Open Hire Events Planned -

March 30, 2006

The Fairfax County Health Department celebrates National Public Health Week next week, April 3-9. This year’s national theme is “Building Healthy Communities, Building Healthy Children.” The week will be proclaimed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Monday.

National Public Health Week, a national observance sponsored by the American Public Health Association, is set aside every year to showcase and celebrate the achievements of public health.

To underscore this year’s theme, the Health Department will promote its programs and services for children, including: childhood immunizations; the School Illness Monitoring System (implemented in Fairfax County Public Schools); food safety, including school cafeteria and day care inspections; the Speech and Hearing program; and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.

“In this country, we are fortunate to have a public health system that works,” said Gloria Addo-Ayensu, M.D., M.P.H., director of health. “We no longer have certain diseases that are found in other parts of the world, such as polio. For the most part, we can eat safely in restaurants and school cafeterias without having to worry about getting a food-borne illness. When a disease outbreak is detected, public health intervenes at the earliest stage to prevent illness from spreading. We are very proud of our role – and the role of our community partners – in keeping Fairfax County children and all our residents healthy and safe.

On Monday, April 3, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will present three certificates of recognition to the Health Department’s community partners in keeping children healthy. Recipients are: Fairfax County Public Schools’ Office of Food and Nutrition Services for excellence in maintaining the “gold standard” in food safety and nutrition; Fairfax County Public Schools for their close partnership developing and implementing the School Illness Monitoring System; and Cartoon Cuts, the children’s salon company, for its continued and growing role in promoting childhood immunizations.

Other Health Department activities for National Public Health Week include:

• educational displays and handouts in the Fairfax County Government Center lobby, Springfield Mall and Tysons Corner II mall
• children’s visits and activities at the Health Department’s Adult Day Health Care Centers
• a reading list and posters distributed throughout Fairfax County Public Libraries
• a puppet show for the children at the day care center of Fairfax County’s Pennino Building

For more information about Health Department programs call 703-246-2411, TTY 703-591-6435. Check the Health Department Web site next week for additional information about protecting our children.