Dec. 4 (UPI) — The Department of Veteran Affairs has launched a new campaign to help register more than a million veterans who are not enrolled in its healthcare system, including those who fought in Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan, and particularly those who suffered from blast exposure.
The campaign will include emails and text messages directly to veterans, public service announcements, paid advertisements, and events, the VA said.
“We take veteran concerns about repeated blast exposure very seriously, and we are studying this matter urgently to learn more about potential health impacts,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement.
“While we do that, we don’t want veterans to wait. They should enroll in VA healthcare today to get full access to primary care, mental healthcare, regular screenings, specialty care, and more. That’s what this outreach effort is all about — getting veterans in our care, because veterans who come to VA are proven to do better.”
Department officials said they are starting the campaign after rising concerns of health challenges among veterans, including suicide, and exposure to various blasts. Those include trauma from artillery blasts, IEDs, missile launches, heavy fire and more.
“VA aims to be the best, most accessible, and most affordable health system in America for veterans, and we are constantly looking for ways to improve that care as science and research tell us about new concerns,” VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal, said in a statement.
“The more veterans are enrolled, the more we can learn about the impact of blast exposure and the better care we can ultimately provide those who served.”