About Us

Protecting the Health of All North Carolinians

The North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCDPH) works to protect the public's health across North Carolina and helps shape positive health outcomes for North Carolinians and the communities in which they live, learn, work, worship, and play.

The Division's programs and services, implemented in collaboration with local health departments and state, federal and private partners, touch the lives of every North Carolinian and visitor to the state 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

What is Public Health?

Our Shared Vision

To promote and contribute to the highest possible level of health and wellbeing for the people of North Carolina.

Mission

To make North Carolina the healthiest state in the nation.

Our Work

The essential functions of the Division safeguard and promote the health and wellbeing of people and communities every day. NCDPH's fundamental responsibilities include:

  • Infectious disease and contaminant control and prevention,
  • Food safety,
  • Environmental health,
  • Laboratory services,
  • Patient safety,
  • Emergency preparedness,
  • Chronic disease prevention and health promotion,
  • Health equity, and
  • Vital records and statistics.

NCDPH's key activities and services include protecting people in North Carolina from the threat of preventable infectious diseases like COVID-19, Influenza, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis. NCDPH also provides reliable and accurate public health laboratory services and information about health threats.

Other critical services include screening newborns and pregnant women for genetic diseases. NCDPH also works to ensure the safety of food and tattoos, helps reduce smoking and its impacts and works to prevent oral and chronic diseases and conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, asthma and obesity.

The Division also protects patient safety in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities, maintains birth and death certificates, and prepares for and responds to public health emergencies.

NCDPH works continuously to reduce health disparities among vulnerable and underserved communities to achieve health equity throughout North Carolina. 

NCDPH Topics A-Z