What are Public Health Officers Roles and Responsibilities

A Public health system comprises of all public, voluntary and private organizations that contribute to the delivery of necessary public health services within an authority.The objective of the public health system is to maintain and strengthen the health and well-being of people.

The Public Health System Consists Of:

• Public and private health agencies at different levels

• Healthcare companies & hospitals

• Public safety providers

• Economic and charitable organizations

• Recreation and arts-associated agencies

What Public Health Services Do?

• Observe health status to recognize and solve community health issues.

• Encourage community partnerships and action to identify and resolve health related issues.
• Implement laws and regulations that secure health and ensure safety.

• Ensure qualified public and personal health care staff.

• Identify and investigate health issues and health hazards in the people.

• Provide communities required personal health services and ensure the provision of health care.

• Develop plans and policies that help individual and community health initiatives.

• Search for new ideas and innovative solutions to health issues.

• Notify, educate, and empower people regarding health problems.

What are Public Health Officers Roles and Responsibilities

Role of a Public Health Officer (PHO)

• The contribution of public health officers is of essential significance in both the preparedness planning process and the reaction to health risks since the execution of public health measures is situated within the capability of the public health system. Thus, PHO’s on various levels have to be engaged in all stages of the planning process for public health crisis control.

Federal components of health systems as equivalent to the political framework of a nation pose specific difficulties for both the planning process and the reaction itself. The very essential instruments for the assessment of crisis programs, such as the evaluation of the public health officers’ readiness, are among the exercises performed. The accomplishment of a simulation exercise relies mainly upon careful planning process, clear assessment criteria and a work plan, that enables for essential enhancements of crisis plans of all engaged organisations. Simulation activities are an integrated component of preparedness activities on various administrative levels of the public health system. Based upon the nature of the activities public health officers on local and district level are engaged as planners or as players.

 Responsibilities of a Public Health Officer:

• Coordinate or combine the resources of health care institutions, social service organizations, public safety personnel, or other agencies to enhance the community health.

• Design or use monitoring tools, like as screening, lab records, and vital information, to recognize health risks.

• Develop tools to address behavioral causes of diseases.

• Direct or control prevention programs in specialized areas such as aerospace, work-related, infectious disease, and environmental medicine.

• Assess the effectiveness of recommended risk reduction actions or other interventions.
• Recognize groups at threat for specific preventable diseases.

• Carry out epidemiological research of acute and chronic diseases.

• Prepare precautionary health reports which include problem explanations, analyses, alternate solutions, and suggestions.

• Deliver details about potential health risks and possible treatments to the media, the public, other health care experts, or local, state, and national health regulators.

• Manage or coordinate the work of doctors, nurses, statisticians, or other staff members.

• Educate or train medical team regarding precautionary medicine problems.

• Design, implement, or assess health service delivery systems to enhance the health of specific communities.