Public Health Employees Safeguard the Health of Alabamians

March 1 is designated as National Employee Appreciation Day, an observance created to call attention to the valuable and meaningful work performed by employees. I would like to take this opportunity to call attention to the dedicated public health employees who work each day to promote and protect the public from disease, injury, and other threats. They deserve recognition for safeguarding the health of all Alabamians in all 67 counties.

Much of the work of public health is done behind the scenes and is taken for granted when things go well. Their efforts are both silent and invisible to many people until there is a crisis such as a deadly pandemic or a natural disaster which seizes their attention.

I invite you to view our Silent Guardians of Health page to learn about the broad scope of services our employees provide. A video titled “Silent Guardians of Health” introduces some public health professionals who put into practice the slogan “Alabama’s Health is Job #1.” From prenatal services to taking care of older Alabamians, daily activities of a few of the individual employees who are featured in the video are listed here.

• Keep people safe by maintaining clean drinking water through proper sewage disposal, ensuring safe food handling practices to prevent foodborne illness, inspecting food service establishments, and investigating vectors of human disease.
• Protect the vulnerable by making visits to patients in their homes, especially those who have trouble getting to doctors’ appointments, and provide the only home health pediatric care available within the state of Alabama.
• Provide for Alabamians’ needs behind the scenes in administrative roles, always willing to lend a hand to others.
• Help women, infants, and children, even those living in remote rural areas, access the nutrition education and nutritious food they need.
• Educate Alabamians about different illnesses and conditions, ways to prevent illness, and get confidential treatment when needed.
• Find ways that help ensure a happier and healthier community and enhance lives by effectively utilizing resources, solving problems, and building relationships.

We appreciate the many committed public servants who care deeply about the people they serve and fulfill the mission of public health. Public health employees strive to maintain the public’s trust by being professional, competent, honest, and knowledgeable. They value compassion, empathy, fairness, and respect when providing the highest quality services to clients and patients.

A public health career is one way to have a positive impact affecting everyone in Alabama. I encourage others to join this team. If you are interested in making Alabama’s health “Job #1,” please visit Alabama Department of Public Health Employment Opportunities.

Scott Harris, M.D., M.P.H.
State Health Officer