Press Release

April 3, 2009             

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Vicki Duey, Executive Director

Phone Number:  (402) 362-2621

E-mail Address:  questions@fourcorners.ne.gov

 Public Health week is a time to celebrate those working to improve our Nations health by preventing disease, promoting health, and protecting the environment across the nation.  During National Public Health Week, April 6-9, 2009, Four Corners Health Department recognizes public health as a critical part of  our national health network.

Vicki Duey, executive director, emphasizes the importance of an effective public health structure– the people and resources we depend on to help improve our health.  “We each have a role in making our community and nation healthier,” said Duey.  “Public health is the foundation of our health system and must be a part of the national health discussion.”

Despite being one of the wealthiest countries in the world, the United States has one of the lowest life expectancy rates among developed nations.  Babies born in America are three times more likely to die than those born in some developing countries, and America has made the top 10 list of countries with the most people living with HIV/AIDS.  Obesity rates are up 36 percent in the past 20 years, and one out of two young people who start and continue to smoke will be killed by tobacco-related illness.

This year, as our country faces the first term of newly elected officials and with the nation’s attention directed toward our failing health system, NPHW focuses on the role public health must play in improving our nation’s health.  This year’s theme is “Building the Foundation for a Healthy America.”  The goal is to raise awareness nationally and locally of public health’s critical role in ensuring a healthy America.

“Public health is all around us.  From the clean water we drink, to the seat belts we wear in the car, to the many programs promoting physical activity, public health affects our communities,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP, executive director of the American Public Health Association.  “By recommitting ourselves to support our nation’s public health system, we can build on the successes of the past and establish the solid foundation needed for a healthy nation.”

For more information about National Public Health Week, contact Four Corners Health Department at 402-362-2621 (toll free 1-877-337-3573),go to www.fourcorners.ne.gov

or visit www.nphw.org.