Question

• What are the three core functions of public health?
• Discuss what is meant by the term "quasi-governmental agency? Name one such agency.

Answer 1

INTRODUCTION

Health is the state of being free from diseases ,public health is a term used to describe the total of all official or government programmes to promote health,prevent diseases and restore health of entire pouulation.The public health is a system ,it includes the following things

-A system

-A profession

-A methods

-Government services

-The health of the public or the community or the society

DEFINITION

-According to American Heritage Dictionary of Public Health,public health is deined as" the science and practice of protecting and imoroving the health of the community,as by preventive medicine,health education,control of communicalble diseases,applications of sanitary measures,and monitoring of enviornmental hazards"

-According to The Oxford Textbook of Public Health,public health is defined as "The process of mobilizing and engaging local,state,national,and internatinal resources to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy"

PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEMS AND DISEASES

-The main health issues in public sectors are listed below;

-communicable diseases

-non-communicable diseases

-maternal and child health problems

-geriatric or old age health issues

-malnutrition

-enviornmental pollution

-population problems

-poliomyelitis

-HIV/AIDS

-obesity

-cancer

-diabetes mellitus

-municipal and hospital waste etc

THREE CORE FUNCTIONS OF PUBLIC HEALTH

-The three functions of public health are;

1 -ASSESSMENT

2 -POLICY DEVELOPMENT

3 -ASSURANCE

1-ASSESSMENT

-Assessment is defined as systematic collections of informations or gathering of information to acheive the desired goals

-The main objectives  are listed below;

-To evaluate the site conditions and enviornmental sanitation

-To identify potential health problems

-To introduce the multi-disciplinary teams

-To evaluate the health outcome data

-To identify the risk factors

-To make planning strategies according to past,present and future health status

-To aware the communities about current health issues

-To keep health surveillance

-The team members of public health assessment;

-epidemiologist

-hydrogeologist

-health physicist

-health communicator

-health educator

-Steps of pub lic health assessment-It icludes the following steps

-evaluate enviornmental conditions

-identify exposure pathways

-conduct screening analysis

-conduct in-depth analysis

-draw public health conditions

-recommend public health actions

-prepare public health assessment documents

2-POLICY ASSESSMENT

Policy assessment is the process of using scientific studies and decision making abilities for implementing planning in action

-The main objectives of policy assesment are;

-prevent epidemics and spread of disaese

-protect against enviornmental hazards

-prevent injuries

-promote and encourage healthy behaviours

-disaster management

-quality health services

-prevent disease by immunization

3-ASSURENCE

-The process of assuring the provision of complete health care services and also assess the efficiency and outcomes of the planning process

-The steps in assurence process include;

-application of laws

-provide holistic care

-assure the competent work force

-evaluate about outcome of desired goals

QUASI -GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES

-Heath organizations are categorized into three

- GOVERNMENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES

-QUASI-GOVERNMENATL AGENCIES

-NON-GOVERNMENAL AGENCIES

-Quasi agencies is an organizations have some official health responsibilities

-The primary functions are

-funding and promotion of scientific research

-funding for evidence based practices

-work independantly for government organizations

-help for the development of individual scientists

EXAMPLES FOR QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES

-AMERICAN RED CROSS

-Is also known as THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS

-Head quarters in Washington D.C

The major roles of quasi -governmenatal agencies are listed below

-flood prevention

-disaster management

-global health

-blood donation

-conducting research

-tissue services

-plasma services

CONCLUSIONS

Public health is the heart of community settings and it includes major or great health acheivements such as immunization,family planning,maternal health,food adulteration.motor-vehicle safety,control of infectious diseases etc.

" HAPPINESS IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF HEALTH"