NYC Department of Health Announces Ambitious Public Health Campaign

On March 24, New York City Health Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH announced the launch of an ambitious public health campaign that addresses the leading causes of preventable disease and death in the city. The campaign, “Take Care New York,” details ten specific public health goals that must be achieved.

1.Have a Regular Doctor or Other Health Care Provide

2. Be Tobacco-Free
3. Keep Your Heart Healthy
4. Know Your HIV Status
5. Get Help for Depression
6. Live Free of Dependence on Alcohol and Drugs
7. Get Checked for Cancer
8. Get the Immunizations You Need
9. Make Your Home Safe and Healthy
10. Have a Healthy Baby

In a statement, Frieden called on all New Yorkers to take action, stating, “Thousands of lives can be saved, hundreds of thousands of illnesses prevented, and millions of dollars saved each year through a coordinated effort to improve the health of New Yorkers. Take Care New York calls on all New Yorkers – individuals and families, health care providers, community organizations, City agencies, and employers – to take action.”

Among others, the Department of Health announced that the following programs are being implemented immediately:

* Increasing access to smoking cessation medicines to help people quit smoking;
* Increasing colon cancer, breast, and cervical cancer screenings in city hospitals and other facilities;
* Implementing rapid HIV testing in emergency departments, community clinics and Rikers Island;
* Assisting primary care practices in training health professionals to improve screening, referral and treatment of depression;
* Expanding DOHMH worksite wellness corporate initiatives to other companies while convening an Employers Task Force to develop recommendations for best practices for businesses;

The Department published the first of a series of monthly bulletins that will provide health information to all New Yorkers in translated into Spanish, Chinese, Russian, K
orean,
and Arabic.

With health care costs increasing and state and local budgets straining under a slowly recovering economy and reduced federal budgets, this is a necessary program that deserves attention. Prevention, as Commissioner has announced, must be the focus of all New Yorkers.