A local initiative in Durham attempting to map out the the city's ills, neighborhood by neighborhood, was lauded Monday by the nations' top doctor.

U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjami was in town to speak during the 9th annual Durham Health Summit.

She praised the Durham Health Innovations project, a collaboration between Duke and local public and private health officials and practitioners. 

The project, funded through the National Institutes of Health and $1 million from Duke Medicine, endeavors to go into Durham's neighborhoods to figure out who needs what type of care and how to convince them to get it.

Durham officials hope the project, if successful, can be used as a national model.

Benjamin thinks so as well.

For more, check out today's story.

Duke University has announced a new venture intended to treat specific diseases or disorders prevalent in its home city of Durham.

The project is called Durham Health Innovations. Funded by Duke Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, it will create 10 individual projects that will focus on treating maladies like cancer, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, sexually transmitted disease and adolescent health.

The project emerged following months of meetings with nearly 100 community agencies, businesses and civic groups in Durham.

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