idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
Hands-on resuscitation practice, blood glucose testing, vaccination advice, toothbrushing exercises, and back care classes are just some of the ways local health authorities will present their wide ranging work on the Local Health Authority Day on 19 March. This year’s theme is “Diversity for Health.” An overview of activities in Germany is available on the Robert Koch Institute’s website.
“To protect people from disease and improve the health of the population, we rely on diversity,” emphasizes RKI president Prof. Dr. Lars Schaade. For the Public Health Service, diversity in background, lifestyle, age, gender identity, social circumstances, and health status is part of everyday reality. In the edition “Diversity in the Public Health Service. More perspectives, better care” of its journal “Blickpunkt Öffentliche Gesundheit”, the German Academy of Public Health Services stated: “Meeting this diversity requires structures and staff who act with sensitivity, competence, and without discrimination.”
Local health authorities are a central pillar in protecting the health of the population. Unlike hospitals and medical practices, which mainly focus on individual patient care, the Public Health Service places population-based approaches at the centre of its work. It also serves people who have limited or difficult access to regular healthcare services. In 2020, the federal and state governments in Germany adopted the “Pact for Public Health Service” for the years 2021 to 2026, with a particular focus on workforce and digital development.
Diversity also shapes the work of the Robert Koch Institute in its tasks, methods, and staff. “Diversity and mutual respect are essential for science and research, and therefore also for the health of the population,” says Prof. Dr. Lars Schaade. Around 1,500 people from 50 nations and 90 professions work at the RKI.
By signing the Diversity Charter in 2017, the Robert Koch Institute committed itself to a culture that views diversity as an opportunity. The Charter identifies seven dimensions of diversity: age, migration background and nationality, gender and gender identity, physical and mental abilities, religion and worldview, sexual orientation, and social background. Thus, RKI promotes diversity both in the workplace and in public health.
The Robert Koch Institute first launched the Local Health Authority Day in 2019 to highlight the work of local health authorities and to draw attention to their situation and needs. The 19 March marks the birthday of Johann Peter Frank, a physician and social medicine pioneer born in the mid-eighteenth century considered as the founder of Public Health. Today, strong local health authorities remain the backbone of public health efforts around the world.
Further information: https://www.rki.de/local-health-authority-day
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