What is public health?
Public health is the science of protecting the consumer health through the improved safety and sanitation. It is an act of upgrading the health within a communities or the public with education, research, policy making and suggestions to avoid health injury. Acheson, 1988; WHO defines public health as “the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts of society”. Therefore, public health is the provision of personal service to individual person for a better health condition and strong immunity system.
Public Health as a discipline
Public health is a discipline that is initiated with the overall benefit of human health or the health of public within a community. It includes the application of various other distinct disciplines which are enlisted below:
- Public policy
- Computer science
Bachelors in Public Health
Bachelors in Public health is a course organized in order to make the students learn about the public health in depth as it is a matter of concern for well being. It is an undergraduate course. This course offers the students with the concept of basic introduction to public health and practices being made by examining the philosophy, purpose, history, organization, functions, tools, activities, and the effectiveness of public health practices being made at the national, state, and local levels. Thus, it is a rising course in case of developing countries as it guides the overall people to act in a healthy manner as they are guided by public health specialist.
Objectives of the course
- To overview of health education strategies for urban as well as rural community health settings
- To make the students know about of human cultures and the physical and natural world as it relates to individual and population health through focused engagement on big questions, both contemporary and enduring.
- In order to gain intellectual and practical skills extensively across the curriculum in the context of progressively more challenging problems, projects, and standard for performance.
- To learn personal and social responsibility anchored through active involvement with diverse communities and real-world challenges.
- Experience integrative and applied learning demonstrated through the application of knowledge, skills and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems.
- aims to stimulate interactions among students around important problems and issues facing the health of the nation and the world.
- Health behavior programs and interventions are explored
- Examination of Awareness about impact of natural disasters on public health
- To establish the health initiatives for identifying, managing, and eliminating environmental threats to health
- To focus on instructional planning, behavior change interventions and methods, unit plan development, the use of technology and media, health disparities, special challenges and controversial topics
Importance of Public Health Specialist
Public health is not about treating a patient or solving the health issues but it’s about the prevention of disease and awareness not to fall sick. Public health is a knowledgeable sector that maintain good health within a periphery or targeted area. Here are few importance of public health:
- Research on the status of health of a community to identify potential problems
- investigate and Diagnose health problems and hazards within the community
- Apprise, educate, and certify people about health issues, particularly the underserved and those at risk
- Organise community networking to identify and solve health problems
- Develop health policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts
- Administer laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety
- Connect people with the needed personal health services and ensure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable
- Safeguard a competent public health and personal health care workforce
- Access the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services
- Find out the new insights and innovative solutions to health problem
Universities in Nepal
The course of BPH was initiated by various universities as they have a wider scope in developing countries like Nepal.
- Tribhuvan University
Any student who has secured At least ‘C’ grade separately in theory and practicals of all subjects of Class 11 and 12 (PCB & E) with an overall 2.4 GPA is eligible to appear in the entrance examination for admission conducted by Tribhuvan University.
1.Institute of Medicine, IOM, Maharajgunj
2.Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health sciences,Kathmandu
3.Chitwan School of Medical Sciences , Chitwan
Students who have secured minimum 50 % in aggregate or 2.4 CGPA and minimum C+ grade in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (PCB) and minimum C grade in other subjects are eligible to appear in the entrance test for BPH programs conducted by Pokhara University.
- Nobel College
2.National Open College
3. CIST College
New Baneshwor, Kathmandu
4. La Grande International College Pokhara
Candidate must have secured minimum C+ grade in aggregate and minimum C grade in each subject in 10+2 or equivalent examinations can appear in the entrance examinations in order to get admissions in Bachelor of Public Health (BPH).
- Nepal Institute of Health Sciences (Stupa College)
2. Sanjeevani College of Medical Sciences
Butwal-12, Kalika Nagar
3. Yeti Health Science Academy
4. Om Health Campus
Saraswati Nagar Rd, Kathmandu
5. Birat Health College And Research Centre
Besides, there are various other colleges under the affiliation of Purbanchal University in various places out of the valley. Therefore, BPH is an emerging program with an ultimate intention of creating a better health state of people within in order to upgrade the overall well being status.