LIHUE — Kauai District Health Officer Dr. Janet Berreman said on Thursday that public health is for every one.
On Monday, the state Department of Health issued a release urging Hawaii residents to stay vigilant as cases of measles continue to rise on the mainland. The risk of a travel-related measles case in Hawaii continues to increase, and the risk of an outbreak in Hawaii from exposure to a travel-related measles case has increased due to the very high contagiousness of measles, and the low vaccination rate against measles, the DOH said.
Berreman accepted a mayoral proclamation announcing that April 7-13 will be celebrated as National Public Health Week. The notice also serves as an announcement that the Kauai District Health Office (KDHO) will celebrate its fourth open house on April 11 from 9:30 a.m.
“National Public Health Week lets us share with the public the many programs and services that Department of Health offers to enhance the well-being of our communities,” said Berreman. “When we understand and support public health, all of us — from keiki to kupuna — can work together to create opportunities to be healthy and thrive.”
“It Starts Here” is the theme for this year’s National Public Health Week, and the KDHO hosts its open house for the public and community partners to recognize and appreciate the efforts of the public health workforce and community members in building a healthier Kauai.
The KDHO, the successful coordinator of every Tropic Care Kauai innovative readiness training by the Department of Defense, invites everyone to learn about public health services, programs and job opportunities on April 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its 3040 Umi St. location.
The event will be free and open to everyone. Some of the anticipated guests include the health academies and programs from the island’s high schools.
During the third KDHO open house, the Wilcox Medical Center and interns from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns Medical School were available and partnering with KDHO.
Department of Health staff will be available during the open house to share their work and talk about how members of the community can work together to identify and address public health issues. Public health relies on the shared commitment to making good health accessible to everyone by creating communities that are happier, healthier and stronger.
KDHO staff that will be present will include administrative, environmental health specialists, public health nurses, health educators, mental health professionals, food safety inspectors, disabilities case managers, microbiologists, and more.
People attending will have the opportunity to learn about careers in public health, so the KDHO is encouraging students and those looking for a career change to participate.
“The open house is a great opportunity for residents and community partners to learn more about the DOH public health programs while networking and enjoying interactive activities,” Berreman said. “KDHO staff look forward to welcoming everyone at this event and saying ‘mahalo’ to our community and partners for their ongoing support to build a healthier Kauai.”
