public health (history)

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Promotion of health at community level by government rather than on an individual basis. Public health includes the prevention of disease through the provision of clean water and sewage disposal, legislation for clean air, health education programmes, and medical care for the whole population through doctors, nurses, and hospitals. Levels of public health have varied through time, reaching a first peak under the Romans, when cities and towns were supplied with public baths, sanitation, and clean water. After centuries of regression following the end of the Roman Empire in AD 476, public health became an issue again in the 19th century during the Industrial Revolution. Government acceptance of responsibility for public health, which began in the UK with a limited Public Health Act in 1848, increased throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries. By the end of the 20th century, with the introduction of the welfare state, National Health Service, and health education and protection measures, government responsibility for the health of the nation was not only complete, but also expected.

Blue recalls the sea and the sky. Green symbolizes the earth. The red star represents unity. White stands for peace. Effective date: 27 June 1977. >>