The Selma Times-Journal

The quality of one’s health plays a big part in one’s quality of life.

The Dallas County Health Department will celebrate its Public Health Day on Tuesday, April 3 from 9 a.m. to noon.

The department, located at 100 S. O. Moseley Drive, will give free screenings for cholesterol, blood sugar, hemoglobin, blood pressure, bone density and HIV.

“Anybody can come,” Ashvin Parikh, director, said. “No appointment is needed.”

National Health Week is April 2-8 and this year’s theme is “Take The First Step!” The focus is to address the needs of the nation’s vulnerable populations.

The Emergency Management Agency (EMA), Local Emergency Planning Committee, the Health Department and other agencies are in the process of developing a Flu Pandemic Emergency Preparedness Plan for Dallas County and the is aiding in the development of the plan.

“Our goal is to get the word out to every family that they need a plan,” Bradley Cooper, Alabama Department of Public Health EP Environmentalist said at a January LEPC meeting. “We’re sounding the trumpet.”

The Health Department will continue to sound that trumpet on Public Health Day by making Emergency preparedness, pandemic influenza, and other materials available.

Officials say it’s not a matter of if a flu pandemic will happen, but when.

For additional information, call the Dallas County Health Depart at 334 874-2550 or visit www.nphw.org.