DPH links environment to health
The CNMI’s Department of Public Health took part in an Environmental Protection Agency conference that brought together public health officers from around the Pacific region, as well as environmental health officers.
The goal of the conference was to help shed light on the link between environmental health and public health, as it pertains to the Pacific region.
Public Health Secretary James U. Hofschneider was joined by medical director Dr. Richard Brostrom and deputy secretary Pedro I. Untalan, as well as public health staff John Tagabuel and Ed Diaz. The group presented data on the link between environmental concerns, like solid waste, water sanitation, and sewage, and their significance on the health of the people of the CNMI.
Hofschneider also talked about the role of the Pacific Island Health Officers Association, of which he is the current vice-president, in environmental health. The association plays an advocacy role in the health of the people of the Western Pacific region since 1986. Hofschneider lauded PIHOA for improving regional surveillance and response for infectious diseases of public health significance, networking, shipping of infectious specimens, upgrading a regional lab and human resource training.
During the presentation, Hofschneider called on the PIHOA organization to play a bigger role in helping Pacific islands address environmental health issues.
“A healthy environment means less disease burden. Our shared vision is Healthy Islands, Healthy People,” he said.
In his presentation, Brostrom focused on the local effects of environmental hazards. He looked at the existence of Shigellosis and other diarrheal illnesses that are primarily contracted through contaminated food and water sources. Brostrom made the case that with improved food handling and preparation habits, as well as 24-hour water service and improved sewage systems, the CNMI could see a much lower prevalence of these illnesses.
Hofschneider said he would like to see a closer relationship between the environmental health and the public health organizations in the CNMI in tackling environmental health risks.
“Infectious and parasitic disease is still a significant cause of death in the CNMI (5th overall cause of death [2001 data]) and need to be addressed further by both the health and environmental quality departments in the CNMI,” said Hofschneider.
Currently, of all the U.S.-affiliated Pacific jurisdictions being represented at the EPA conference (CNMI, Guam, Palau, American Samoa, Yap, Chuuk, Pohpei, Kosraei, and Marshall Islands), only Palau has a health department that links public health and environmental health in the same department. The rest of the jurisdictions, including the CNMI, have separate environmental and health departments that only work together and share data at certain times.
