How to preserve, protect health of all South Carolinians

Although doctors do the critical work of treating diseases and injuries one patient at a time, we at DHEC are charged with addressing disease and injury for the state’s population as a whole. Instead of treating the individual who suffers a heart attack, we analyze the links between heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes, so we can develop programs to prevent and control heart disease.

That’s the essence of public health: ensuring the well-being of entire populations. These populations can be as small as a neighborhood or as large as a region or the entire state. When health-care providers report an infectious disease outbreak, we are there. When the need arises to plan and prepare for the potential of a new threat like the Zika virus entering our state, we are there. When natural disasters arise — whether a damaging hurricane or a perilous flood — we are there.

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The public health crisis we can fix

SC in top half of states for public health preparedness

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The Department of Health and Environmental Control employs many skilled professionals and experts who work tirelessly to help build and maintain a public health system capable of preventing and responding to the various emergencies and outbreaks that sometimes arise. These public health and environmental control professionals cover chronic disease, aging, safe drinking water, disaster response, tobacco control and so much more.

We investigate nearly 400 acute disease outbreaks and 55,000 disease reports a year, conduct more than 90,000 inspections covering a diverse range of programs and have legal responsibilities that include more than 360 state or federal statutes, regulations and provisos.

Our team works to prevent and respond to public health threats and reverse negative trends, by developing educational materials and programs, administering needed services and proposing policy changes. Our work includes efforts to make sure everyone has an opportunity for a healthy life.

With DHEC locations in all 46 counties, residents make numerous clinic visits each year, whether for TB therapy or a flu vaccine. The vast majority of visits to our clinics involve the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program, preventive health (family planning services and STD testing/treatment) and immunization.

DHEC helps hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians stay healthy every year. In 2016, the agency:

▪ Delivered high-quality health and wellness services to 757,813 South Carolinians in our community health departments.

▪ Provided nutrition counseling and assistance to 183,141 women, infants and children.

▪ Provided 60,388 newborn screening test results for babies.

▪ Evaluated 12,731 new sites for septic tanks, resulting in 8,988 permits.

▪ Performed 39,504 food safety-related inspections, investigated 4,725 complaints and issued 2,129 permits.

▪ Conducted 12,800 initial investigations of potential rabies exposure, with 12,211 follow-up investigations involving wild and domestic animals.

Although we work year-round to educate and inform residents about a wide range of public health issues, National Public Health Week (April 3-9) gives us an opportunity to highlight the impact public health programs and services have on protecting and improving the well-being of all South Carolinians. We will spend the week celebrating the importance of public health and those who work in the field, while educating citizens about ways to improve their quality of life.

It all feeds into our ultimate goal: ensuring that South Carolina remains a state where healthy people live in healthy communities.

This story was originally published March 30, 2017 at 5:20 PM with the headline "How to preserve, protect health of all South Carolinians."