National Public Health Week, April 3-9, 2023

Centering and Celebrating Cultures in Health

NEW CITY, NY, - Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert announce the start of National Public Health Week from Monday, April 3 to Sunday, April 9. This annual celebration week is sponsored by the American Public Health Association (APHA). This year's theme, "Centering and Celebrating Cultures in Health: Feeling like we belong, being a part of our communities, and fostering cultural connections," raises awareness about how we can make our communities healthier, safer, and stronger when we support and stay engaged with one another.

"This National Public Health Week (NPHW) celebrates public health successes and provides opportunities for people to act toward a healthier life and community. We're encouraging everyone — public health professionals, students, elected leaders, activists, and the public — to step in and do what they can to make our world a more equitable, safe, healthy, and just place," said Dr. Ruppert.

The Rockland County Department of Health helps to lay the foundation that puts policies and practices into place to build a safe and healthy community. As public health professionals, we play a critical role in ensuring that the public receives reliable, accurate information that will help them make informed decisions about their health.

The Health Department continues to monitor the water we drink, the air we breathe, the restaurants we dine at, the community pools we swim in, and the summer camps our children attend. Public health laws mandate immunizations, seat belts and car seats, and other preventive measures. The Health Department provides information on preventing diseases, managing our illnesses, and where to go for help, and helps to control diseases like rabies, tuberculosis (TB), COVID-19, flu, polio, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The Health Department works with a network of community partners to put policies and practices into place to build a safe and healthy community.

"Together, we can make Rockland the healthiest and safest county in New York State! The future of public health depends on all of us taking action and responsibility. I encourage our residents to make their health and the well-being of their community a priority," said County Executive Day.

Creating the healthiest and safest nation, and county, is also up to each one of us. This NPHW, we celebrate the unique and joyful ways different cultures focus on health. And we look to how we can learn from each other with humility and openness. Visit www.nphw.org/ for more information about National Public Health Week.

Follow the Health Department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rockhealth and at Twitter www.twitter.com/rockhealth to stay up-to-date on health-related issues, and visit the Health Department's webpage at www.rocklandgov.com/health to find out about the many programs and services we offer.

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