Health reporting and the design of health-promoting living environments is an important area of work for the health authorities in the health promotion and health planning department. Relational prevention is just as important as behavioral prevention. This includes the establishment of midwife support in the district, the development of a heat action plan and networking, such as the "Healthy school?!" measure. The municipal health conference and a network for self-help groups (NEGES) are also anchored in this area of work. Dr. Uschi Traub, head of the department, is pleased with the diversity: "From projects on education about sexually transmitted infections and HIV consultations to travel medicine advice, multiplier training on eating disorders, events in citizens' offices on the subject of organ donation and so on, everything is included." From the large portfolio, the district office is presenting the "Staying active" guide on social media on Health Department Day.
"Children from socially disadvantaged families are also reached through the comprehensive school check-ups and dental prophylaxis measures," says Dr. Ulrike Rangwich-Fellendorf, head of the paediatric and adolescent medical department, explaining the main areas of activity there.
Dr. Susanne Hitzler is in charge of the health protection department, which covers infection control, environmental medicine, drinking and bathing water. The pandemic has overshadowed the importance of some topics, but water quality, hygiene and a healthy environment are still fundamentally important building blocks for the health of the population.
Dorothea Drolshagen and her team are responsible for medical assessments for other authorities beyond the district, for example for civil servants and asylum seekers.
The administration department under Rasha Odeh supports the complex tasks of the health department, for example with activities relating to the Measles Protection Act and the coordination of projects and surveys.
"Unfortunately, many projects in prevention and health promotion are too limited in time," criticizes Dr. Johannes Nießen, Chairman of the BVÖGD and Head of the Health Department in Cologne. Socially problematic districts and regions in particular often need to be stabilized in the long term. "Many health-promoting approaches require permanent or at least long-term funding. A two-year project is often not enough," he emphasizes.
