Dr. G.U. Ahsan, Ph.D North South University

1. Public Health Information, Education and Communication Dr. G.U. Ahsan, Ph.D North South University Chairman Department of Public Health

2. Public Health Health:A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Public Health:Public Health is the Science and Arts of prevention, preservation, promotion and rehabilitation of health through organized community effort (WHO, 2004). Chairman Department of Public Health

3. Public Health Cont…… An alternative Definition of Derek Wanless is :"the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts and informed choices of society, organisations, public and private,Communities and individuals.“ (February 2004) Chairman Department of Public Health

4. Public Health Cont…… The other definition:Public health is defined as the application of science to Improve health of populations or communities. A role of public health is to public health is to assure that effective prevention and treatment interventions are accessible to the entire population and they are applied efficiently. (Web, 2007) Chairman Department of Public Health

5. Scientific Tools of Public Health • Surveillance:Ongoing and systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of health data essential to planning, implementation and evaluation of population based interventions to improve health. • Epidemiology:Study of the distribution and determinants of health related events in specified populations and the application of this information to alleviate health problems. Chairman Department of Public Health

6. Scientific Tools of Public Health • Prevention Research:Identification of causes of illness and progression of disease and development of interventions to resist or block the onset or consequences of disease. • Outcomes Research: Study of results of medical and public health interventions including morbidity and mortality, functional status, quality of life, cost and resource use. Chairman Department of Public Health

7. Scientific Tools of Public Health • Primary Health Care (PHC): • Millennium Development Goal Chairman Department of Public Health

8. Prevention There are four levels of Prevention • Primordial preventionof the emergence or development of risk factors in countries or population groups in which they have not yet appeared. • Primary Prevention averts the occurrence of the disease before it starts. Research on environmental and genetic causes. Chairman Department of Public Health

9. Prevention • Secondary Preventionreduces consequences of disease by early detection and treatment. Research on biomarkers and screening tests Neuro protective treatments. • Tertiary Preventionattempts to minimize complications and severe disabling consequences of disease after t has progressed. Access to quality care Chairman Department of Public Health

10. Essential Public Health Services • Monitor health status to identify community health problems • Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community • Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues • Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems • Develop policies and plans that support individual and community healthefforts Chairman Department of Public Health

11. Essential Public Health Services • Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety • Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable • Assure a competent public health and personal health care workforce • Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services • Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems Chairman Department of Public Health

12. Primary Health Care (PHC) Primary Health Care was a new approach to health care that came into existence following an international conference in Alma Ata in 1978 organised by the World Health Organisation and the UNICEF. The Alma Ata conference defined primary health care asPrimary health care is essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and Chairman Department of Public Health

13. Primary Health Care (PHC) families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and the country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self determination. Chairman Department of Public Health

14. Primary Health Care (PHC) Declaration of Alma Ata (WHO 1978) and recent primary Health Care: A Framework for Future Strategic Directions (WHO 2003), we Define primary health care as:Socially appropriate, universally accessible, scientifically sound first level care provided by suitably trained workforce supported by integrated referral systems and in a way that gives priority to those most need, maximizes community and individual Chairman Department of Public Health

15. Primary Health Care (PHC) self-reliance and participation and involves collaboration with other sectors. It includes the following: • Health promotion • Illness prevention • Care of the sick • Advocacy • Community development. Chairman Department of Public Health

16. Essential Components of Primary Health Care • Equitable distribution • Community participation • Intersectoral coordination • Appropriate technology • Health care as an industry Chairman Department of Public Health

17. Essential Components of Primary Health Care • Format and definition • Contents of the prescription • Handling of the prescription • Legibility of prescriptions • Forgeries, thefts and prevention Chairman Department of Public Health