Question

What is the role of the local health department in the healthcare system? Write about the health department in area where you live, what new projects does the department involve. Write between 500-700 words.

Answer 1

Role of local health department in the healthcare systems

Local health department has the central role in healthcare systems. Local healthcare department have the close contact with the people of any state and district. These department are responsible for the health of local peoples of the particular area or state. Generally local health department again subdivide the responsibilities to the hospitals, institutions and corporations at district level. These institutions again subdivided into city and village levels as Community Health Centers (CHC) , Primary Health Centers (PHC) and Subsidiary Health Center (SHC). Responsibilities are also subdivided between these center and main watchdog of these responsibilities are setup as Health Corporation for reporting and recordings.

In India our local Health department divided there health related services in three parts :

1. Primary level Health Care.

2. Secondary level Health Care.

3. Tertiary Level Health Care.

Primary health care services in the rural areas of our state

are provided through a network of medical institutions comprising of Subsidiary Health Centers i.e. each for approximately 5000 population, rural dispensaries or clinics i.e each for approx.10000 population, primary health center each for 30000 population and community health center each for approximately 100000 population. Under alternative health care delivery system,where rural medical officer i.e doctor have been appointed by the local health department for community services.

The various national and state health programmes which have been launched to provide primary health care include a crusade against Malaria, Tuberculosis, Blindness, Leprosy and AIDS. All the programs have been successfully implemented in the State. Hospitals at Sub-Divisional level and District Hospitals serve as secondary level of health care system and give support to the services being provided in the Primary Health Care System. Since community health centers in a way also provide specialist services, these can be considered as a part of the secondary level health care system. Hospital Services at the secondary level play a vital and complementary role to the Primary Health Care System and together form a comprehensive district based health care system.A health care system based on Primary health care cannot exist without a network of hospitals with responsibilities for supporting primary care and hospital care. Both are essential part of a well-integrated health care system. Tertiary level health care services are provided in the State by the specialized hospitals and hospitals attached to State Medical Colleges. These institutions besides providing support to the secondary level health care system, are expected to carry out research and manpower development for the health services of the State.

Projects of local health department

A. Monitor health status of people also solve community health problems

This is a primary responsibility for local health department to monitor the health status of people in the a demographic profile. Identity the risk factors within the population. Planning for prevention from any disease outbreak. Prior arrangements if there any sign of disease outbreak i.e future planning for combat with diseases. Monitor lifestyles of people living within the community. Free consultations for all who come at institution which is under local health department. Survey of local community, reporting and recording high risk group, allocation of resources for that group, age and nutritional status for provision of food related problems also done by local health department, so that any factor which can impact the health of community people can be eliminated.

B. Maintenance of funds for building, vehicles, equipments and machinery.

Proper maintenance of funds allocation is necessary in health welfare in communities. This includes construction of new hospitals, renovations of running hospitals and its infrastructure. Now a days due to technology is at the peak new techniques and technology also can be seen in healthcare institutions. New testing and diagnosis machines installations for public welfare is on trend. New ambulance systems are installed for proper transportation and convenience of general public.

C. Vaccination against communicable diseases and work on Communicable and other diseases control programs.

Vaccination against communicable diseases is a primary responsibility of local health department. This comes under health and family welfare and maternal and child care. Supply of nutritional tablets like iron tablet, vitamin A dose also comes under maternal and child healthcare.

D. Family planning programs

Family planning in countries like India, China are the vital role, because of high population rate. These steps are necessary to control the population. Which is done by health department with the help of local health department. The male and female sterilization process, disbursement of contraceptives pills and condoms also provided to the public free of cost through local health department.

E. Financial assistance to breast cancer and other cancer treatment to women and poor.

That is also comes under local health department to identify the high risk and provide treatment to the affected, also to provide financial assistance to that men and women which are from specific category due to poverty and other reasons. Mainly this assistance is for the medications and nutritional needs in critical diseases like that of cancer and other chronic diseases.

F. Building and reinstallation of Public Conveniences.

Provide public convenience and sanitization to local people is also a responsibility comes under local health department. Sanitization in public toilets and other convenience is a part of disease eradication. Through these many diseases can be spread so proper disinfection and sanitization of public conveniences and other places also a part of duty of local health department.

G. Provide health education to people

People generally engaged in there works, this is difficult to provide health education on any procedure or any disease at one time. So different modes for educate the peoples are used by the local health department.

H. Foreign Training for all doctors and para medical staff.

As a new activity towards the betterment for community services our local health department is coming on front with giving training to the doctors and para medical staff in other developed countries.