Health department
Encyclopedia
A health department or health ministry is a part of government
which focuses on issues related to the general health
of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties
and cities
, often also operate a health department of their own. Health departments perform food licensing and food inspection (the person who performs this job is often called a Health Inspector
), vaccination
programs, free STD
and HIV
tests, and other medical assistance. Health departments also compile statistics
about health issues of their area. In 1986, several of the worlds' national health departments met to establish an international guideline by which health departments operate. The meeting was in Ottawa, Canada, and hence the guidelines established are known as the Ottawa Charter. The Ottawa Charter was designed to ‘achieve Health for All’.
"Health department" can also refer to a university
health department
.
governments in the world are divided into departments or ministries
. In most such cases, there is a department responsible for health. Some examples: Afghanistan - Afghan Ministry of Public Health Australia - Department of Health and Ageing Canada - Health Canada
People's Republic of China
s have a state health department. Counties
and cities
may also have a department of health; in highly-populated jurisdictions this department's role may be very significant, e.g. the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
. Subnational entities in other countries, such as the states of Australia, also have their own health departments.
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
which focuses on issues related to the general health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
and cities
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
, often also operate a health department of their own. Health departments perform food licensing and food inspection (the person who performs this job is often called a Health Inspector
Health inspector
A health inspector is a public employee who investigates health hazards in a wide variety of locations, then will take action to mitigate or eliminate the hazards...
), vaccination
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
programs, free STD
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
and HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
tests, and other medical assistance. Health departments also compile statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
about health issues of their area. In 1986, several of the worlds' national health departments met to establish an international guideline by which health departments operate. The meeting was in Ottawa, Canada, and hence the guidelines established are known as the Ottawa Charter. The Ottawa Charter was designed to ‘achieve Health for All’.
"Health department" can also refer to a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
health department
Academic department
An academic department is a division of a university or school faculty devoted to a particular academic discipline. This article covers United States usage at the university level....
.
Health departments around the world
- See also: Ministries of Health around the world
National
Most executiveExecutive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
governments in the world are divided into departments or ministries
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
. In most such cases, there is a department responsible for health. Some examples: Afghanistan - Afghan Ministry of Public Health Australia - Department of Health and Ageing Canada - Health Canada
Health Canada
Health Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for national public health.The current Minister of Health is Leona Aglukkaq, a Conservative Member of Parliament appointed to the position by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.-Branches, regions and agencies:Health Canada...
People's Republic of China
-
- Mainland China - Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China
-
Hong Kong - Food and Health BureauFood and Health BureauFood and Health Bureau is a government bureau that manages health programmes and immunisation programmes in Hong Kong.It oversees policies on food and health issues. The Department of Health, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, and the...
and Department of HealthDepartment of Health (Hong Kong)Hong Kong's Department of Health is responsible for healthcare policies and the provision of basic healthcare services. The public hospitals are managed by the Department's Hospital Authority... -
Macau - Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture (Macau)Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture (Macau)The Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture is a department of the Macau Government...
Ireland - Department of Health and ChildrenDepartment of Health and Children (Ireland)The Department of Health is a department of the Government of Ireland. The Department's mission is to "support, protect and empower individuals, families and their communities to achieve their full health potential by putting health at the centre of public policy and by leading the development of...
New Zealand - Ministry of Health, previously the Department of Health Philippines - Department of HealthDepartment of Health (Philippines)The Philippines’ Department of Health is the principal health agency in the Philippines. It is the executive department of the Philippine Government responsible for ensuring access to basic public health services to all Filipinos through the provision of quality health care and the regulation of...
Singapore - Ministry of HealthMinistry of Health (Singapore)The Ministry of Health is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for providing information, raising health awareness and education, ensuring the accessibility of health services, and monitoring the quality of health services provided to citizens and visitors in the Republic of...
South Africa South African Department of HealthSouth African Department of HealthThe Department of Health is the executive department of the South African government which is assigned to health matters....
South Korea the National Health Insurance Corporation United Kingdom: Department of HealthDepartment of Health (United Kingdom)The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,... - Northern Ireland - Department of Health, Social Services and Public SafetyDepartment of Health, Social Services and Public SafetyThe Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive...
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Scotland - Scottish Government Health Department -
Wales - Department of Health and Social Services Republic of China (Taiwan) - Department of HealthDepartment of Health (Republic of China)Department of Health of the Republic of China is an executive agency of the Executive Yuan responsible for the administration of the public health system, affordable and universal health care, hospitals, pharmaceutical, immunisation programmes, disease prevention, supervision and coordination of...
United States - United States Department of Health and Human ServicesUnited States Department of Health and Human ServicesThe United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...
(HHS)
Sub-national
All U.S. stateU.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s have a state health department. Counties
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
and cities
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
may also have a department of health; in highly-populated jurisdictions this department's role may be very significant, e.g. the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Health services to over 10 million residents in the Los Angeles County are provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Mental health services are provided by the County Department of Mental Health...
. Subnational entities in other countries, such as the states of Australia, also have their own health departments.
- United States
-
Alabama - Alabama Department of Public HealthAlabama Department of Public HealthThe Alabama Department of Public Health is the primary state health agency of the government of the U.S. state of Alabama. It provides a number of public health services to Alabama residents.-Purpose:... -
California - California Department of Public HealthCalifornia Department of Public HealthThe California Department of Public Health is the state department responsible for public health in California. It is a subdivision of the California Health and Human Services Agency... -
Florida - Florida Department of HealthFlorida Department of HealthThe Florida Department of Health is responsible for protecting the public health and safety of the residents and visitors of the State of Florida. It is a cabinet level agency of the state government, headed by a State surgeon general who reports to the Governor... -
Hawaii - Hawaii Department of HealthHawaii Department of HealthThe Hawaii Department of Health is a state agency of Hawaii, with its headquarters in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu on the island of Oahu.-External links:*... -
Massachusetts - Massachusetts Department of Public HealthMassachusetts Department of Public HealthThe Massachusetts Department of Public Health is a governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with various responsibilities related to public health within that state... -
Michigan - Michigan Department of Community HealthMichigan Department of Community Health-External links:*... -
New Jersey - New Jersey Department of Health and Senior ServicesNew Jersey Department of Health and Senior ServicesThe New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey.New Jersey's State Board of Health was established in 1877. Its administrative functions were vested in the Department of Health, which was created in 1947. In 1996, the latter was... -
New York - New York State Department of HealthNew York State Department of HealthThe New York State Department of Health, ', is the governmental body responsible for public health in the state of New York. The cabinet-level department is headed by the Health Commissioner, a position held since January 24, 2011 by Nirav R. Shah, M.D., M.P.H..... -
North Carolina - North Carolina Department of Health and Human ServicesNorth Carolina Department of Health and Human ServicesThe North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is a large government agency in the U.S. state of North Carolina, somewhat analogous to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. DHHS has more than 19,000 employees... -
Oklahoma - Oklahoma State Department of HealthOklahoma State Department of HealthThe Oklahoma State Department of Health is a department of the government of Oklahoma under the supervision of the Oklahoma Secretary of Health. The Department is responsible for protecting the health of all Oklahomans and providing other essential human services... -
Oregon - Oregon Department of Human ServicesOregon Department of Human ServicesThe Oregon Department of Human Services is the primary health and human services agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The ODHS was established in 1971 as the Oregon Department of Human Resources but renamed in 1999... -
Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania Department of HealthPennsylvania Department of Health-See also:* Health department* List of Pennsylvania state agencies-External links:*... -
South Carolina - South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental ControlSouth Carolina Department of Health and Environmental ControlThe South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is the government agency responsible for public health and the environment in the U.S. state of South Carolina... -
Texas - Texas Department of State Health ServicesTexas Department of State Health ServicesTexas Department of State Health Services is a state agency of Texas. The department was created by House Bill 2292 of the 78th Texas Legislature in 2003 through the merging of four state agencies: the Texas Department of Health, Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Texas...
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Health Department Stories
- http://www.dadehealth.org/downloads/880_SP-21%20HealthyStories%20BK2%20GSA%20(Lizzie)%20Version.pdf Miami-Dade County Health Department, Healthy Stories 2007