This week, April 7-13, marks 30 years of celebrating National Public Health Week. Protecting public health is critical in our state. Our commitment to every community is strong as ever.
How we help you and your loved ones
The Division of Public Health provides a safety net for NC communities.
Infectious disease prevention
- We work to prevent infectious diseases, including measles and norovirus.
- We maintain your vaccination record in our state registry. We connect eligible children with no-cost vaccines to keep them safe.
- We partner with local organizations to distribute free self-tests for COVID-19.
- We help control bugs so you don't get mosquito-borne illnesses.
- We prepare communities and help residents stay safe in emergencies.
Food, water and environmental protection
"We develop policies that empower communities and work to prevent dangerous diseases."
Jacob Snyder
Environmental Health Specialist
Environmental Health SectionJacob and other environmental health specialists protect your food and water, well water, septic systems and more. We make sure places you live, work, dine, learn and play are safe from health hazards.
Chronic disease and injury prevention
- We partner with you to prevent chronic disease and injury through health education and cancer screenings.
- We support your journey to quit smoking with free resources.
No-cost and affordable health care services
We help people access services, like maternal and child health programs and dental clinics. We support your local health department.
Increased access to health information
"We're not just doing a job. Our work actually impacts people's lives."
Taylor Dunn
Vault Specialist
Office of Vital Records
State Center for Health StatisticsTaylor and teammates record your vital life events, like birth, death, marriage and divorce.
Our State Laboratory of Public Health screens all North Carolina newborns for health conditions. We help ensure they get the care they need for a healthier start.
Our Office of the Chief Medical Examiner investigates deaths, giving families and communities answers and closure.
We look for patterns in community data for signs of health threats. For example, we track seasonal respiratory virus trends in our state to inform our guidance to prevent spread of COVID-19, flu and RSV.
Much of this work happens behind the scenes, yet we all experience the benefits every day. The dedicated efforts of NC’s public health workforce make our communities safer and healthier.
Public health topics, from A to Z
Learn more: National Public Health Week (American Public Health Association)
Join us in making NC healthier
Get to know our acting director: Dr. Kelly Kimple
Learn more about how DPH helps North Carolinians every day.