18 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com HEALTH DEPARTMENT SERVICES AND RESOURCES The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is the government agency responsible for public health, health care quality and the environment in the state. South Carolina has a centralized public health system. Each county has its own health department, and DHEC runs all of those departments. Birth certificates, death certificates, immunizations, family planning – the list of patient-oriented services and resources that flow from each department expands as residents’ needs expand. DHEC also does surveillance for all communicable diseases and moves swiftly if there is an outbreak like the RSV outbreak in fall 2022 that hit child-care facilities and then many residents across the state. The department compiles the South Carolina flu data for a weekly surveillance report called, Flu Watch, which is shared each Wednesday on its website. DHEC also reports confirmed cases of monkeypox daily to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A link to the CDC’s MPOX tracker map that confirms current cases by state is available on DHEC’s website as well. DURING DHEC’S ACCREDITATION PROCESS, IT IMPROVED SEVERAL CORE SERVICES, INCLUDING: • Launching a new immunization information system to help the agency and immunization providers ensure access and availability of essential immunizations to help keep South Carolinians healthy. • Spearheading the successful statewide transition to eWIC, providing South Carolina families that qualify for Women, Infants and Children services better access to healthy foods. South Carolina’s WIC program aims to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating and referrals for health care. • Collaborating with community partners across the state to develop a comprehensive statewide health improvement plan, Live Healthy SC. This plan, published in 2018, is currently being updated. Community members are encouraged to provide input online. For more information about DHEC resources, services, programs and the team that delivers it all, visit scdhec.gov. Dr. Brannon Traxler A native of Greenville, Dr. Traxler most recently served as the chief medical officer for the state’s COVID-19 response. She is trained and board-certified in general surgery and previously practiced as a surgeon in South Carolina before changing her specialty focus to public health. Dr. Traxler completed her residency in general surgery at Greenville Health System and a fellowship in breast surgery at Emory University in Atlanta. Dr. Traxler earned her medical degree from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and her master of public health degree from George Washington University. She received her undergraduate degree in microbiology at the Clemson University Honors College. In spring 2022, Dr. Traxler was recognized for her leadership and dedication to public health as one of the state’s “20 under 40” and became a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. Source: scdhec.gov/about-dhec/agency-leadership/dr-brannon-traxler-director-public-health For a more in-depth discussion on the state of public health in South Carolina visit: HealthLinksPodcast.com HealthLinks PODCAST
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