UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 14 March 2025

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All You Need to Know About Public Health

Public health is a multidisciplinary field focused on improving and protecting the health of populations through preventive measures, health promotion, and disease control.
It encompasses a wide range of activities, from vaccination programs to health education and policy-making, aimed at ensuring the well-being of communities.

Public health has gained prominence due to global health challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The article highlights the importance of public health in addressing these challenges and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being.
For UPSC aspirants, understanding public health is crucial for topics like health governance, disaster management, and social development.

Definition and Scope:
- Public health focuses on population-level health rather than individual health.
- It includes epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, and health policy.
Core Functions:
- Assessment: Monitoring health status and identifying health problems.
- Policy Development: Creating plans and policies to address health issues.
- Assurance: Ensuring access to quality health services for all.
Major Areas of Focus:
- Infectious Diseases: Prevention and control of diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS.
- Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): Addressing lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.
- Environmental Health: Tackling health risks from air pollution, water contamination, and climate change.
- Health Equity: Reducing disparities in health access and outcomes among different populations.

Preventive Approach: Public health focuses on preventing diseases before they occur, reducing the burden on healthcare systems.
Cost-Effectiveness: Preventive measures like vaccination and health education are more cost-effective than treating diseases.
Global Health Security: Public health systems are essential for responding to pandemics, natural disasters, and bioterrorism.

Resource Constraints: Limited funding and infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries.
Health Inequities: Disparities in access to healthcare based on socioeconomic status, geography, and gender.
Emerging Threats: New challenges like antimicrobial resistance (AMR), zoonotic diseases, and climate-related health risks.

National Health Mission (NHM): A flagship program to improve healthcare delivery in rural and urban areas.
Ayushman Bharat: Aims to provide universal health coverage (UHC) through Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
Challenges: India faces issues like underfunding, shortage of healthcare workers, and regional disparities in health infrastructure.

Public health is a critical field for ensuring the well-being of populations and addressing global health challenges.
It requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving governments, healthcare professionals, and communities.
For UPSC aspirants, understanding public health is essential for topics like health governance, social development, and disaster management, making it a key area of study for both prelims and mains.