The Delaware County Health Department has highlighted a wide range of public programs focused on preventing the spread of diseases and promoting healthier lifestyles in its 2024 annual report, writes Justin Udo for the KYW Newsradio.
Lora Werner, the Health Department’s interim director, said the report shows that the county successfully implemented a variety of public health programs over the last year, including food establishment licensing and inspection, community health screenings, and vaccination campaigns.
DCHD also took steps to improve public health emergency preparedness by monitoring for diseases, such as tuberculosis and measles and distributing more than 1,700 Narcan kits in an effort to prevent overdosing.
“One of the biggest things that we worked on in the last year was the community health assessment,” said Werner.
Almost 5,000 residents took part in the assessment. This provided county public health leaders with data-driven insight into public health needs, which resulted in a new community improvement plan focused on several priorities.
“Those priorities are to promote whole-person care and prevent mental health and substance abuse disorders,” said Werner. “That’s No. 1. No. 2, maternal, parental and mental health; and No. 3 prevent chronic diseases.”
Read more about the new Delaware County Health Department report at KYW Newsradio.
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