Halifax County has been ranked 99 out of 100 counties for health outcomes in North Carolina for quite some time.
However, you may ask why is this important or what does this data tell us?
It helps us to understand what is impacting the health of our county and it builds a platform to broaden community health partnerships.
April is Public Health Month, a time to recognize the importance and value of public health services in our community.
This year’s local Public Health Month theme is “Healthier County by 2030.”
Right now, more money is spent on the treatment of chronic diseases and conditions versus preventing those same chronic diseases and conditions from occurring.
This makes me think of Benjamin Franklin’s quote “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” meaning it is easier to prevent something from happening in the first place than to repair or treat the damage after it has happened.
We can become a “Healthier County by 2030.”
However, public health cannot do it alone.
In order to become healthier, we need a cultural shift that raises health to the top of the public policy agenda.
We CAN change the health of our county and positively move our health indicators and ranking through working collectively together and sharing your voice.
I urge you to let your voice be heard and express the specific health needs of your community.
Attend one of the seven “State of Our Community’s Health” Listening Sessions occurring in April and May:
• April 16: Halifax Community College, Room 108
• April 20: Scotland Neck Town Hall
• April 22: Hollister Tribal Center
• April 29: Enfield Municipal Complex
• May 6: Thomas Shields Community Center (Hobgood)
• May 13: Littleton Fire Department
• May 20: Halifax County Agricultural Center Auditorium (Halifax) All listening sessions begin at 5:30 p.m. and refreshments will be served.
There will also be assistance with childcare during each listening session and $10 gas card giveaways. Everything that we do is possible only when we are healthy.
Let’s collectively join our strengths to make a better future for us all because public health matters.
For more information about how public health is working for you, contact HCPHS Health Department at 252-583-5021.
