Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

Laredo, TX- The City of Laredo Health Department’s Healthy Living/Viviendo Mejor program will be hosting free Diabetes Support Group sessions starting this week.  The Diabetes Support Group gives adults with diabetes and their families and friends continuing peer support.  Five weekly meetings have been scheduled and will feature a variety of topics related to diabetes presented by experts in the healthcare field.  The Diabetes Support Group will meet once a week for the next five weeks at the City of Laredo Health Department’s Healthy Learning Center (2600 Cedar Ave). We urge the public to participate as the entire family needs to address the crisis of diabetes. 

Dates and Topics:

June 20, 2012

“High Blood Pressure and Diabetes”

Carlos Canova, MD

Laredo Medical Center

All Sessions will start at 6:00 p.m at the City of Laredo Health Department – Healthy Learning Center, 2600 Cedar Avenue.

 No registration is required and walk-ins are welcome. For more information, call 955-795-4900 ext 4557 or 956-795-4918.

Laredo, TX—The City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD) wishes to inform the public that Meningococcal Vaccine is no longer available for college entry through the Health Department.

 Please note that the CLHD receives all public vaccine from The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). The DSHS has recently advised us that, due to their funding reduction, there is no further safety-net vaccine available for adults.

 Therefore, college students entering the university for the first time must be vaccinated but will need to seek vaccine from their private provider, university health center, pharmacies, etc.

 If there is a change we will inform the public in the future.  

 This does not affect meningitis vaccine for the students and children 18 years and under covered by the Texas Vaccine for Children’s Program (TVFC).

 For more information, please contact the CLHD Immunization Clinic at (956) 795-4906.

Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

Laredo, TX—The City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD) is inviting the public to join an innovative and exciting Diabetes Education Prevention initiative “Healthy Living/Viviendo Mejor”.  This is the third cycle to help increase prevention, awareness, reduce risks of diabetes and its complications and improve diabetes self management to prevent this illness, which affects many in our community.  

 HLVM just graduated its second class and is currently seeking fifty (50) people to enroll in the third cycle. What is unique about these sessions is that it focuses on the family and community at large who are at risk of diabetes.  HLVM helps persons take control of their chronic disease with self management and risk reduction classes, cooking lessons, fitness activities and peer support activities. Participants of the first session commented that what they learned during this program was life changing!

 These free interactive classes are being offered to persons with diabetes but as important, to their family members and/or persons at risk of developing diabetes. We want to intervene before someone develops diabetes and/or its complications.  All persons enrolled in the group will also get free diabetes screening.

Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

In Particular, Ice Cream

Laredo, TX—As warm weather approaches we tend to see illegal food vendors and want to caution the public to only purchase food from authorized and permitted vendors.

 The City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD) wants the public to know currently there are illegal ice cream vendors that we are monitoring as they are using illegal lead based containers which can be harmful to one’s health especially to children (from gastrointestinal problems, irritability, learning disorders to muscle and nervous system complications). Recently we have confiscated six (6) containers made of steel (see pictures) and want the public to know that it is dangerous to buy and eat the ice cream from these vendors who do not have any permit from the health department to sell food and they are using illegal lead based containers to store the ice cream.

 Finally we want to remind the public that the CLHD has a strong food safety, surveillance and enforcement program to assure that the public is safe when they purchase any food item from food establishments and mobile food vendors. All food vendors must apply for a permit which means they have been inspected by a CLHD Sanitarian. All food handlers of that establishment and mobile vendors must also have food handlers training and a permit as well a food manager has to have been trained on food handling, food management, cooking temperatures, food safety, food storage and food preparation. This is all part of our food safety and foodborne disease prevention services.

 Each year we prevent foodborne illness (diarrhea, vomiting, food poisoning and other infections) through inspections and training of food vendors. So we caution the public not to buy from unauthorized illegal food vendors. They must a permit in full view issued during the current year. 

 For more information please contact the City of Laredo Health Department at (956) 795-4904, 795-4935 or 795-4938.

Laredo, TX—The City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD) is celebrating National Public Health Week to highlight “A Healthier America Begins Today; Join the Movement!”

Public Health through federal, state and local public health departments, is celebrating National Public Health Week (NPHW) to highlight what health departments do every day.

“We provide disease control, conduct preventive care, promote wellness and respond to biological events to protect and safeguard the wellbeing of all Laredoans,” said Dr. Hector F. Gonzalez, Director for the CLHD. In addition, a stellar activity of public health is to educate the public, policy-makers, and public health professionals about issues important to improving the public’s health.

For Laredo and Webb County, where 40% of the population is uninsured and another 25% is on public assistance, the CLHD also provides primary and chronic disease care and partners with many local public and private providers to assure preventive and acute care services.

“The City of Laredo wants to take this opportunity to congratulate our health department staff for their dedication in prevention and care,” said City of Laredo Mayor Raul G. Salinas, who later this week will read a proclamation for Public Health Week. “We are proud of all public health actions such as safe food, safe drinking water, little to no communicable diseases, excellent surveillance and early detection and protection and I am proud of our City of Laredo Health Department for taking the lead, and all of the wonderful doctors, nurses and clinics who also help to serve those in our community. These are all public health actions that make our communities safe and help us live a healthier life,” Salinas added.

This year’s NPHW theme focuses on early detection, chronic disease prevention, basic public health (hand washing), tobacco cessation, mental health and suicide prevention. Other areas where Public Health Policy has made a difference is in monitoring disease trends and emerging issues to develop protection and prevention measures.  Some critically important polices that enable better and healthier lives is accident prevention, car seats, food safety, sanitation and infection control, to name a few actions.

To join the movement toward a healthier America and a healthier Laredo, Mayor Salinas will read a proclamation this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. at the CLHD Canopy. The public is invited to attend and come visit with the booths highlighting the different City of Laredo Health Department Programs. In addition, use this week to visit the department to get better acquainted with public health, , in addition to thanking the staff as well as all the many partners in the public and private sectors.

For more information on National Public Health Week, please call the City of Laredo Heath Department at (956) 795-4951 or (956) 795-4918.

Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

Laredo, TX—Women’s Preventive and Early Detection Care and Family Planning is critical to support wellness, prenatal and post natal care as well good birth and well child outcomes. With over 600 adolescent (under 18) women pregnant each year, rise in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), a disparity in cervical cancer and increase in prematurity we need to assure that women have every opportunity to access care and family planning. There new services have been initiated to address women’s and well child newborn care.

 Women’s Preventive Care and Family Planning Clinic

Annual exams to assure healthy outcomes for women and future mothers are the cornerstone of this effort. In addition, Family Planning is important to assure that every woman safeguards her health and chooses when to get pregnant.  While some people choose to just let nature take its course with regard to pregnancy, some couples choose to use family planning methods to have children when they are able to or when their marriage meets certain milestones.

 Whether couples are thinking about getting pregnant for the first time or you already have children, the City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD) can help you learn about family planning so that women (couples) can make an informed decision for their reproductive choice. Knowing whether you do or do not want to have children in the next few years can help you and your partner choose appropriate contraception (birth control pills, contraceptive injections, implants or an intrauterine device). Family planning can also help you determine when you might begin preconception planning, which is sometimes recommended up to a year in advance of getting pregnant. Partners/men also play an important role and we will also be offering family planning methods to males either directly or through referral (exams, condoms, health education, and vasectomy). 

 The CLHD’s Family Planning Program provides confidential, low-cost, preventative health care to both females and males to help with their reproductive health needs to promote positive birth outcomes and healthy families.

Types of Family Planning Services Available:

·         Health check-up & physical exam, follow-up medical care and referrals;

·         Birth control education and methods (pills, IUC, condoms, injectables etc.);

·         Natural family planning;

·         Lab tests for cervical cancer (pap smears), sexually transmitted diseases (STD), HIV, diabetes, and anemia, pregnancy testing etc.;

·         Treatment for STDs & urinary infections;

·         Abstinence education and methods;

·         Pre-Conception Counseling (Planning for having a healthy pregnancy);

·         Nutritional counseling; and

·         Infertility Counseling (Help when having difficulty getting pregnant).

Family Planning services are provided to men and women of all ages. For more information about the family planning services you can visit the CLHD Family Planning clinic every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:00 – 7:00 pm or call for an appointment. For further information on Family Planning call Dr. Zaida Gonzalez, Health Educator Supervisor, at (956) 795-4918.

 Nurse Family Partnership (NFP)

The Nurse Family Partnership Program of the CLHD will provide home visitation case management to first time mothers, especially adolescent and high risk mothers.  Vulnerable young mothers (adolescent and young adults) have potentially significant higher risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes as well their children are at risk for low birth weight, malnourishment, poor school performance and other social developmental issues. NFP, a structured, nurse home-visiting program, can intervene early and prevent many of these problems. In this way, we can improve health and social outcomes for women and in particular young women.  NFP is a proven evidence based wellness program for low-income, first-time mothers and their children. NFP has proven to work with results showing significantly improved prenatal health, fewer subsequent pregnancies, increased maternal employment, decreased childhood injuries, neglect and abuse, and improvement in the child’s school readiness. Specifically, NFP nurses will encourage and support their NFP moms to keep pre-natal care and wellness appointments and to maintain a healthy lifestyle. NFP will also assist first time mothers with understanding childbirth, newborn care, well child, and nutrition and child development during the first two (2) years of life.

 We need your help to make this vital initiative a success in our community.  The CLHD is counting on agency, provider and the public’s support and assistance to identify and refer women to NFP.  To qualify women must be: 1) less than 28 weeks pregnant, 2) first-time mothers 3) local resident and 4) have a local physician. Although the program targets young mothers, there is no age or medical restriction.  We can also provide providers with an NFP Referral Kit to help them educate your patients about NFP, in an effort to help them achieve the best possible health outcomes for themselves and their families.  Please take full advantage of this kit and refer eligible pregnant women to the CLHD Nurse-Family Partnership.  If you have any questions, please contact Patricia Enriquez, RN, Nurse Supervisor at (956) 523-7845. 

Healthy Texas Babies/Tejanitos Saludables

Twelve (12) counties in the State of Texas, including Webb, received funding through the CLHD for the Healthy Texas Babies efforts. The project will promote women’s preventive care and newborn and well child health care. It will target teenagers, first time moms, adolescent moms and dads. The health educational classes will touch on women’s health, newborn and well baby health as well male responsibility (role to support breast feeding, child care). 

 Specifically, we will provide health education on nutrition, prenatal care, exercises for pregnant women, things to avoid while pregnant, breast feeding, fatherhood responsibility, family planning, early detection and wellness, child growth and development and teen pregnancy. Our target is to reach the entire community but specifically 100 female and 50 male adolescent and young adults. Some of the activities are: 

·         Male responsibility training and education on child birth, child development and well child as well support for women during pregnancy to prevent prematurity.

·         Will conduct Five (5) conferences to increase awareness on well baby, women’s health and male responsibility.

·         Develop poster board for the Laredo HTB program “Gateway to Women’s Health, Well Child and Fatherhood.

·         “Texas 4 babies” will be initiated in Laredo which will send text messages to all participating mothers and fathers with important health messages regarding prenatal care, baby care, health and other relevant subjects.

·         Bumper stickers are being created in English and Spanish to highlight the “Tejanitos Saludables” theme.

·         Develop a small film using prominent fathers and doctors playing with their kids and discussing the importance of parental involvement.

·         Social media outlets such as Facebook and YouTube are also being used.

 For more information on Tejanitos Saludables, call Dr. Lucia Arrellanos, Health Educator at (956) 712-6015 or Dr. Zaida Gonzalez, Health Educator Supervisor at (956) 795-4918

Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

Laredo, Texas — The City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD), through their HIV/AIDS Program, is joining the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office on Women’s Health (OWH) in taking action against HIV/AIDS. On Monday, March 12, 2012, the City of Laredo Health Department will hold an event and information booth in honor of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day where women and girls in the community will receive a FREE HIV Rapid Test and information on women’s health.  The event will be held at City of Laredo Health Department LETS Program 2600 Cedar Avenue.

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a nationwide observance held each year on March 10 to raise awareness of the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls and empower people and communities to take action. This National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and OWH is collaborating with the Greater Than AIDS campaign and asking, “What’s your deciding moment?” According to Greater Than AIDS, deciding moments are everyday opportunities to take action against HIV, whether it is being tested, talking with friends and family, using condoms, practicing abstinence, or taking medications as directed.

Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

Laredo, TX—The City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD), in collaboration with the Laredo Health Coalition (LHC), introduced a new program Healthy Living/Viviendo Mejor (HLVM to increase diabetes prevention awareness activities, reduce risks of diabetes and chronic diseases and improve diabetes self management to prevent complications due to this illness, which affects many in our community.  

 HLVM just graduated its first class and is currently seeking fifty (50) people to enroll in the second cycle. What is unique about these sessions is that it focuses on the family and community at large who are at risk of diabetes.  HLVM helps persons take control of their chronic disease with self management and risk reduction classes, cooking lessons, fitness activities and peer support activities. Participants of the first session commented that what they learned during this program was life changing!

 These free interactive classes are being offered to diabetics, their family members and/or persons at risk of developing diabetes. Participants must attend the program for ten (10) weeks and you still have time to enroll!

For more information visit the City of Laredo Health Department located at  2600 Cedar Avenue.

The City of Laredo Health Department Continues to Offer FLU Vaccine

Laredo, TX – The City of Laredo Health Department continues to encourage the public to get vaccinated against influenza (FLU). Recently, a child was confirmed to have contracted H1N1 influenza and this could have been prevented if vaccinated.  The vaccine protects against both seasonal and H1N1 strains and is the most effective measure towards reducing the impact of influenza, and is particularly important for people who are at increased risk for severe complications from the flu.

 People in the high risk groups include:

·         All children more than 6 months of age to 4 years;

·         People 50 years and older;

·         Adults and children who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular, kidney, liver, neurological or metabolic disorders (including diabetes);

·         People with compromised immune systems;

·         Women who are or will be pregnant during the flu season;

·         Children age 6 months to 18 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy;

·         Residents of long-term care facilities;

·         People who are morbidly obese;

·         Household contacts and caregivers of children less than 5 year of age or adults age 50 and above.

 What are FLU symptoms?  “FLU” is sudden and symptoms include:

·         Sudden fever (100.4° F or more)

·         Headache

·         Tiredness, sometimes extreme

·         Dry cough, Sore throat

·         Extreme Body aches

Risks from FLU: In some persons, flu can cause serious complications, including bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, diabetes or seriously infecting those that are immunocompromised.  Children and adults may develop sinus problems and ear infections; therefore, we also recommend Pneumococcal Vaccine to protect against pneumonia for anyone over 65 years of age.

FLU Season is Still Here! / page 2 of 2

 Where can I get FLU and Pneumonia shots? At your doctor’s office, clinics and at:

 City of Laredo Health Department’s Immunization Programs

(2600 Cedar)

Monday through Friday

8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; additionally on Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

or at the Health Department WIC clinics (Call for times)

 The cost is $20 vaccine for adults and $8 for children up to the age of 18

It is free for Medicare Part B Recipients. Please bring your card.                                               

Don’t Let Flu Stop You! Fight Back, Get Vaccinated!

For more information, please contact the City of Laredo Health Department Immunizations Clinic at (956) 795-4906.

Laredo, TX – Laredo, TX – Join Mayor Raul G. Salinas and County Judge Danny Valdez for “A Day of Remembrance,” a special event to commemorate World Aids Day. “AIDS continues to be a public health concern even though there have been great strides in AIDS treatment and management” said Dr. Hector F. Gonzalez Director of the City of Laredo Health Department (CLHD). “We need to make it very clear that AIDS is still a serious and deadly disease if we do not adhere to the therapy regimen and above all reduce at risk factors’ said Manuel Sanchez, CLHD HIV/AIDS Manager.  

With a candle light vigil and proclamation we will highlight AIDS remembrance and honor those that have passed but moreover recognize those living with HIV/AIDS. As we pause to reflect on the toll of HIV/AIDS during this 23^nd anniversary of World AIDS Day, we must not forget that the fight against this devastating disease is far from over.  HIV remains a significant threat to the health and well-being of multiple communities, including Laredo.  The most recent CDC data indicates that more than 1.1 million Americans live with HIV, and half of all new HIV infections in the U.S. are among young Americans under the age of 25. Eventhough there is better treatment; there are several co-morbidities than have made HIV/AIDS even more serious. For Laredo, other infectious diseases (Tuberculosi and Hepatitis) and chronic diseases (Diabetes and Hypertension) add to the seriousness of the disease; therefore, awareness and prevention are key wellness efforts.  This is a community issue and we urge all persons to become more aware. Other partners in this effort include the Laredo AIDS Consortia, PILLAR, SCAN, STCADA, STDC, Laredo Housing Authority, Psychotherapy & Counseling Associates, Women’s City Club and United Way as well as many providers who everyday dedicate themselves to HIV prevention and support.

Activities for World AIDS Day will kick off with the unveiling of a newly created billboard designed by TAMIU student, April Jimerson, winner of the 1^st Annual Latino AIDS Awareness Day Art Contest. 

The CLHD offers HIV testing, evidence based interventions, early intervention services, housing opportunities for persons with AIDS, HIV care services, and HIV/AIDS bi-national services.  Free, anonymous rapid testing is available at CLHD LETS Program on a walk-in basis; results are available within 10 minutes.

For more information about free safe, fast HIV testing, call 795-4905.

1^st Annual Latino AIDS Awareness Day Art Contest Winner Billboard Reveal   Thursday, December 01, 2011 at 9:30 a.m.   1601 Chihuahua Street, Laredo, TX 78040