The Tri-County Journal
& Chattahoochee Chronicle
PO Box 850, 71 Webb Lane
Buena Vista, GA 31803
229-649-6397
tjournal@alltel.net
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By LINDA ADAMS
When asked what our health department does, most people would not be able to give an accurate answer. An interesting analogy would be to compare the public health system to your computer’s antiviral program. The program runs in the background on a computer and unobtrusively monitors the functions of the computer and its software, just as public health systems provide surveillance and prevention out of the limelight, often going unnoticed until a problem is discovered or an emergency situation arises. Public health professionals monitor the vital signs of a community as a whole rather than focusing primarily on the health of individuals.
This is not to say that individual care is not provided in the department. Examples of personal health care would be blood tests, nutrition counseling, pregnancy testing, adult/children immunizations, family planning (includes women’s annual exam), adult blood pressure medicine program, and a mammogram program for women over 40 who do not have other coverage.
“We offer laboratory profile blood testing programs,” Sandy Larson
The Schley County Health Department also provides regulation of on-site sewage disposal to protect groundwater. They also provide food service inspections. Plans are being made to try to increase the fees for some of these services.
Funding for the local health department, as well as the entire system is being considered in Senate Resolution No. 1137, which sets up a study commission to look at public health and it’s funding.
Anyone wanting to contact their state representatives about the importance of their local health department can contact Rep. Mike Cheokas and Sen. George Hooks at: mcheokas@legis.state.ga.us and george.hooks@senate.ga.gov .
