Living Healthy: Desert Healthcare District addressing local air quality at 2025 Environmental Health Summit
Cynthia White
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – News Channel 3 has broadcast several special reports on air quality in the Coachella Valley since Hurricane Hilary hit back in August of 2023.
Desert Healthcare District and Foundation Vice President Greg Rodriguez says they continually see more patients with asthma problems. In fact, frequent exposure to poor air quality, such as ozone gas and floating particles can lead to coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks and even a variety of respiratory diseases.
To address the problem, the organization is teaming up with other healthcare providers and working to educate the community.
It’s called Healthy Desert, Healthy You Environmental Health Summit.
Last year’s Summit awarded one million dollars to providers to address environmental health concerns.
Rodriguez adds, “After Hurricane Hilary, we really saw an enormous increase in those particulates in cases of environmental concern. So the District felt that it was important to really build a collaborative approach with the organizations that were already doing great work in the valley around environmental issues. We brought together the that group and held our first Summit last year and really built a great collaborative approach.”
The Summit will be on September 11th and 12th. It will offer fascinating discussions and vendors exploring the challenges affecting health and wellness.
Topics will range from renewable energy to green technology.
For more information on the Healthy Desert, Healthy You Environmental Health Summit, visit healthydeserthealthyyou.com.