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The first week of April has been designated National Public Health Week (NPHW) ever since former President Bill Clinton signed a proclamation to that effect in 1995.
Since then, the American Public Health Association (APHA) has served as the lead organizer of this yearly event.
Unlike most government programs and agencies, public health’s success is best defined by what doesn’t happen.
The fact that developed nations have beaten back many infectious diseases, and have reduced preventable mortality and morbidity to the extent that they have, is due to the considerable efforts of public health agencies.
You can follow the events this week on Twitter by following @NPHW, and you can learn more about NPHW, and how to help promote it, by visiting the NPHW website.
Imagine other countries looking to the U.S. as a model of health. A place where everyone has access to health care and services, where we’re celebrated for embracing healthy lifestyles, and our communities and neighborhoods make it easy for us to make healthy choices. We can make a difference.
If every one of us commits to promoting good health in our communities, we can create a ripple effect from coast to coast. Through just one neighborhood that makes its public parks accessible, one municipality that launches a bike-helmet safety program, one group of people who join together to bring fresh foods to school, or one health center that offers a vaccination program, we can create a collage of public health successes across the country.
Block by block, let’s find these small changes and make them today in our communities. The only way to become a healthier nation is to create healthier communities. Join APHA during National Public Health Week 2010 as we work together to create “A Healthier America: One Community at a Time.”
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