In recognition of National Public Health Thank You Day, the County is expressing gratitude to the professionals who work to prevent diseases, promote health and keep our communities safe.
While this special occasion is being celebrated today, Nov. 24, the region’s public health history dates back 170 years to a time when public health professionals biggest challenges were smallpox, the Spanish flu and water contamination.
Today, the County’s Public Health Services, an accredited health department through the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to keep the county’s 3.3 million residents safe, responding to threats while focusing on its mission to promote health and improve quality of life.
Public health professionals strive to provide accessible programs and services throughout the county. They prevent disease and injuries and respond to disasters.
“Every day I am grateful to our dedicated staff who show up motivated to keep the residents of our region healthy,” said Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “It is an honor to work each day with the disease investigators who prevent, track down and respond to outbreaks, the lab experts who test for pathogens, the public health nurses who provide care with compassion, and the staff who go out into the community to promote healthy habits and help prevent illness. Their work does not go unnoticed and I’m appreciative of the support within the County and from the broader community.”
Public Health Services’ programs touch residents in all parts of the county. Some highlights include:
- Disease Prevention and Response –PHS epidemiologists or “disease detectives,” use modeling to prepare for contagious diseases that might affect San Diego and syndromic illness monitoring to find them when they occur. Over the last several years, responses have included the COVID-19 pandemic, seasonal flu, Hepatitis A, Mpox, dengue and restaurant foodborne outbreaks. In 2023, County epidemiologists and communicable disease investigators were among the first to detect a salmonella outbreak in raw milk that led to a nationwide recall.
- Public Health Nurses – County public health nurses serve thousands of clients annually at six public health centers, Edgemoor Skilled Nursing Facility, the Psychiatric Hospital and San Diego detention centers. They promote disease prevention and wellness services like vaccinations and harm reduction for underserved and at-risk communities such as people experiencing homelessness. Their work includes home visits with more than 1,200 families a year.
- Supporting the Community’s Health – Public Health Services programs provide impactful community support. Examples include the Black Infant Health program which delivers culturally appropriate advice to prenatal and postpartum new moms and helps them create plans to support and connect them with other County resources. The Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention provides resources to families with young children to test lead levels and prevent lead-related illness. The California Children’s Services unit helps families with children who have disabilities get therapy services, medical interventions and referrals to diagnostics. Other services available include testing, care, treatment and prevention services for TB, HIV, Hepatitis and STIs.
More information on public health services and clinics can be found at the County’s Public Health Services website.
