Connecticut State Department of Public Health

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               Connecticut Department of Public Health

April 16, 2008                                              William Gerrish

                                                                    (860) 509-7270 

 

Hartford – The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is recognizing the important contributions of Public Health Laboratory professionals during National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, April 20-26, 2008. 

 

“Connecticut is fortunate to have a public health laboratory with outstanding professionals who make tremendous contributions to public health every day,” stated DPH Commissioner J. Robert Galvin, MD, MPH, MBA.  “Public Health Laboratory professionals have the skills to use state-of-the-art technology and instruments to unlock health information that is pivotal to diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.  They are critical to our public health operations,” Dr. Galvin stated. 

 

The DPH Public Health Laboratory has supported communities within the state by providing environmental and clinical analytical services since 1917.

 

The laboratory is comprised of the following services:

  • Biological Science Services - provides testing for bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic agents of diseases; serves as a reference center for microbiological aspects of infectious diseases; screens for over 40 genetic diseases in newborns.
 
  • Environmental Chemistry Services - evaluates toxic inorganic/organic chemicals in the air, river and lake waters, wastewater, drinking water, fish and shellfish, landfills, industrial waste, spills, consumer products, and soils; a certified chemistry laboratory is maintained for drinking water.

National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (NMLPW) is a time of recognition for more than 280,000 public health and medical laboratory professionals and pathologists who play a vital role in saving lives and keeping people healthy.  NMLPW began in 1975 under the auspices of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (then the American Society for Medical Technology). 

NMLPW is an opportunity for public health and medical laboratory personnel to celebrate their professionalism and be recognized for their efforts.  Often, they use this time to host scientific presentations and to inform and educate colleagues and the public about their laboratory.  Since laboratorians often work behind the scenes, few people know much about the critical testing they perform every day.  NMLPW is co-sponsored by the Association of Public Health Laboratories and other associations. 

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the state’s leader in public health policy and advocacy with a mission to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of our state.  To contact the department, please visit its website at www.ct.gov/dph or call (860) 509-7270. 

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