みなさんの健康を守るのは地域から

みなみ調剤薬局　管理薬剤師　南 勝起

1. 健康とは「病気がない」だけではありません

健康とは、ただ病気がないことではなく「体・心・社会とのつながり」が整っていることを指します。

大阪市の区役所では、区民のみなさんが安心して暮らせるように「健康づくり事業」や「介護予防教室」などを行っています。これは、病気の治療だけでなく、生活全体を支える取り組みです。

 

2. 花園地域の現状と課題

花園地域は人情あふれる下町の良さがありますが、課題もあります。

高齢化で糖尿病や高血圧などの慢性病が増えている

一人暮らしの高齢者が増え、孤独や不安を抱えやすい

経済的に困っている家庭もあり、医療や栄養が十分でないこともある

空き家やごみの問題があり、地域の安心感を下げている

こうした課題は、個人だけでは解決できず、地域と行政が一緒に取り組む必要があります。

 

3. みんなで取り組む健康づくり

生活習慣を地域で支える

医療機関や区役所が協力し、「減塩料理教室」や「いきいき百歳体操」などを通じて、楽しく健康習慣を続けられる仕組みをつくっていくことが大切

孤独を減らし、つながりを増やす

区役所では「地域包括支援センター」や「ふれあい喫茶」など、誰でも気軽に立ち寄れる場所を用意しています。薬局も「ちょっと話せる場所」として、孤独を防ぐ役割を担います。

住みやすい環境づくり

大阪市の区役所では「見守り活動」や「環境美化活動」を地域と連携して進めています。空き家対策や公園整備は、安心できるまちづくりにつながります。医療や福祉のアクセスを広げる

経済的に困難な方のために、区役所は医療費助成や生活支援制度を案内しています。薬局も「最初の相談窓口」として、必要な制度や病院につなぐ役割を果たします。

世代を超えた健康教育

区の学校や子育て支援と連携し、子どものころから「食育」や「運動習慣」を広めることで、将来の健康寿命を延ばします。

 

4. まとめ – 行政と地域が手を取り合って健康を守るには、

孤独を減らすこと

生活習慣病を防ぐこと

安心して暮らせるまちを整えること

が大切です。

これらを進めるために、住民・医療者・区役所が力を合わせることが必要です。

健康とは「病気を治す」だけでなく、人と人をつなぎ、暮らしを豊かにするものです。

薬局と区役所が協力しながら、花園地域の未来を明るく健康なものにしていきましょう！！

 

To Protect the Health of All

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Minami Pharmacy
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chief Pharmacist Katsuyuki Minami

1. Health is More Than Just “the Absence of Illness”

 

When people hear the word “health”, many imagine simply “not being sick.” However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), health means “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being”, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Applying this concept to the Bainan area, the foundation of health promotion extends beyond lifestyle improvements such as diet and exercise, encompassing broader social factors such as human connection, a safe and secure living environment, and economic stability.
Caption: Health means a state in which physical, mental, and social well-being are all fulfilled.

 

2. Current Situation and Challenges in the Hanazono Area

 

The Hanazono area of Nishinari Ward has historically been known for its warm and close-knit downtown culture. At the same time, it faces challenges such as population aging and an increase in single-person households. These backgrounds give rise to public health risks such as:

• Increase in chronic diseases due to aging: Lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes and hypertension are rising, leading to greater medical and nursing care needs.

• Isolation and loneliness: Particularly serious among elderly people living alone, which heightens the risk of depression and progression of dementia.

• Economic hardship and unstable employment: Financial insecurity limits access to adequate nutrition and medical care, widening health disparities.

• Issues in housing and sanitation: The increase in vacant houses and problems of waste disposal undermine community safety and security.

These challenges are not individual problems but social issues that must be addressed by the community as a whole.
Caption: Aging and isolation are important issues that must be faced by the entire community.

 

3. Public Health Approaches to Solutions

 

(1) Supporting lifestyle improvement through community
Daily diet and exercise form the foundation of health. However, it is difficult to maintain these efforts alone. In the Umenami area, community associations and pharmacies can serve as hubs for initiatives such as “health seminars,” “walking clubs,” and “low-salt recipe classes,” enabling everyone to enjoy practicing prevention of lifestyle-related diseases together.
Caption: Healthy habits are easier and more enjoyable to maintain when shared with friends.

(2) Preventing isolation and strengthening connections
According to WHO reports, loneliness significantly increases the risk of heart disease, depression, and even premature death. Therefore, opening local community centers and pharmacies as places where people can “drop by casually” fosters face-to-face relationships that directly support both mental and physical health.
Caption: A welcoming place to stop by supports mental health.

(3) Improving housing and community environment
A clean and safe living environment is the foundation of health. Measures against vacant houses, solving waste problems, and developing green spaces not only improve the appearance of the community but also create “healthy spaces” where children to the elderly can live safely and comfortably.

(4) Ensuring fair access to medical and welfare services
It has been internationally reported that households with economic difficulties face higher health risks. Therefore, expanding systems such as medical expense subsidies, free consultation services, and home-visit programs is essential. Pharmacies, in particular, can function as “community health consultation counters,” playing a crucial role as the first point of contact before connecting patients to physicians.
Caption: Your community pharmacy is your closest and most accessible health advisor.

(5) Health education across generations
Lifestyle habits developed in childhood strongly affect health throughout life. Implementing food education and exercise habits from early childhood and fostering a “culture of health” throughout the community will contribute to extending healthy life expectancy in the long term.
Caption: Health education from childhood becomes a lifelong asset.

 

4. Conclusion – Eliminating Health Inequalities

 

The key to protecting the health of the Umenami community lies not in the idea of “treating illness after it occurs,” but in building a system of prevention and mutual support across the entire community.

• Reducing loneliness,

• Preventing lifestyle-related diseases,

• Creating a safe and secure living environment,

Advancing these initiatives through cooperation among residents, healthcare providers, and local government is the mission of public health.

Health is not only about “curing illness” but also about connecting people and enhancing the quality of life itself. The future of the Umenami community depends on how deeply this perspective can be rooted locally.

 

The collaboration of residents, healthcare professionals, and government will create a healthier future for the community.