This April the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) will be celebrating 30 Days of Public Health, an extended observance of National Public Health Week that also coincides with National Minority Health Month. The month-long slate of activities is intended to engage Illinoisans and raise awareness about all that public health does to keep individuals healthy and safe. Activities during the month include a daily audio series Public Health History Minute and a weekly Podcast called “This is Public Health.” The podcast starts this week and will feature IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra discussing topics such as “What a Healthy Illinois Looks Like” and “Moving Forward: Battling Disparities and Inequities in Public Health.” The daily audio features will highlight a major moment in Illinois public health history, from the founding of the first statewide public health agency in 1877 to efforts to combat polio, measles, and the harmful effects of lead exposure. Following are the dates and topics for “This is Public Health: The Podcast,” which will also be available on IDPH’s social media channels as well as Spotify:

• 4/8 Topic: Oral Health

• 4/15 Topic: “Maternal Health & Congenital Syphilis”

• 4/22 Topic: “Wastewater Surveillance & Public Health”

• 4/29 Topic: “Moving Forward: Battling Disparities and Inequities in Public Health”