The mission of Des Moines County Public Health is to improve, protect and promote the health, the environment and well being of residents of Des Moines County.
The agency specifies its overall purposes as:
The Des Moines County Board of Health organizes special programs relating to Public Health.
Disaster Preparedness
The Des Moines County Public Health Department, in collaboration with Emergency Management, Law Enforcement, Great River Medical Center, Fire, Special Needs Agencies, Salvation Army, Red Cross, and other community partners are responsible for public health emergency preparedness planning, training and response capabilities developed in coordination with local, regional and statewide preparedness partners.
Preparedness measures include enactment of policies and procedures for mass clinics, special needs population shelters, disease surveillance and containment measures, including review and revision of interagency agreements for facility usage, bio-emergency supply and equipment procurement.
Needle/Sharps Collection Program
The Health Department, along with participating community pharmacies, distributes containers, literature and labels to residents using insulin, heart and other types of medications. Used syringes and lancets are collected and stored in these containers. Once containers are full, they can be exchanged at no charge for new containers at participating pharmacies or the Health Department.
The Health Department properly disposes of these materials with a medical waste company. Please do not dispose of sharps in your garbage or recycling.
School Immunization Card Audit
View immunization requirements for licensed child care centers and K-12 schools.
To learn more about the county's public health department and the services they offer, visit the Des Moines County website.
