Public Healthcare Delivery in Dentistry Question And Answers

Healthcare Delivery

Question 1. Write in brief on census.
Or
Write short note on census.
Answer. Census is defined as “the total process of collecting, compiling and publishing demographic, economic and social data pertaining at the specified time or times, to all persons in a country or delimited territory”. —United Nations

• A census enquiry implies complete enumeration of each unit of the universe.
• Census is massive undertaking to contact every member of the population in a given time and collect a variety of information.
• The census is usually conducted at the end of the first quarter of the first year in each decade, the reason being, most people are usually resident in their own homes during that period.
• Legal basis of the census is provided by the Census Act of 1948.
• First regular census in India was taken in 1881 and others took place at 10 years interval.
• Last census was held in March 2001.
• Supreme officer who directs, guides and operates the census is the Census Commissioner of India.

Read And Learn More: Public Health Dentistry Question And Answers

Census Uses

• Primary function of census is to provide demographic information such as total count of population and its breakdown into groups and subgroups.
• Census data provide a framework of reference and baseline for planning, action and research in the field of medicine, human ecology and governmental systems.
• Population census provides basic data needed to compute vital statistics rates and other health, demographic and socioeconomic indicators.

Census Advantages

• Each unit of entire universe is studied.
• Does not required services of experts.

Census Limitations

• It requires more personnel.
• It has less accuracy and completeness.
• It is time consuming—requires more time.
• It is not economical—involves more money.
• Full results are usually not available quickly.
• The attempt to enumerate the whole population may lead to practical difficulties.

Question 2. Write in detail on healthcare delivery system in India.
Or
Write short note on healthcare delivery in India.
Or
Define health care delivery. Add a note on health care delivery in India.
Answer. Healthcare delivery system in India is at different phases:

Health care delivery is defined as the multiple services rendered to individual, families or communities by agents of the health service or professions for purpose of promoting, maintaining, monitoring or restoring health

Health care delivery system in India consists of usually five major sectors i.e.

• Public health sector
• Private sector
• Indigenous systems of medicine
• Voluntary health agencies
• National Health programmes

Public Health Sector

It consists of:

• Primary health care
  • Primary health centers
  • Subcenters
• Hospitals or Health centers
  • Community health centers
  • Rural hospitals
  • District hospitals/health centers
  • Specialist hospitals
  • Teaching hospitals
• Health insurance schemes
  • Employees state insurance
  • Central government health scheme
  • Universal health insurance scheme
• Other agencies
  • Defense services
  • Railways

Private Sector

It consists of:

• Private hospitals, polyclinics, nursing homes and dispensaries
• General practitioners and clinics

Indigenous System of Medicine

• Ayurveda and Siddha
• Unani and Tibbi
• Homeopathy
• Unregistered practitioners

Voluntary Health Agencies

National Health Programmes

Public Health Sectors

Primary Health Care

Primary health care in India consists of Village level workers, Sub-centers and primary health centers.

Village Level workers

Village level workers consist of following i.e.

• Village health guide scheme
• Local dais
• Anganwadi worker (ICDS scheme)
• Accredited social health activist

Village health guide scheme

• The scheme was introduced on 2nd October 1977 under integrated rural health programme with nomenclature ‘community health worker scheme’. After two years name of the scheme was changed in 1979 to ‘Community health volunteer scheme’ and the persons working under this scheme are the volunteers and are not employed by the government.
• Main objective of the scheme was to provide preventive, promotive and curative health services to the people of village via a volunteer from the village itself.
• Village health guide is a person with an aptitude for the social service and is not a government functionary.
• Health guides are now mostly the women which are chosen by the community in which they work efficiently and act as a link between the community and governmental infrastructure.
• One village health guide is present for each of the village per 1000 rural population. Till date, there are 4.10 lakhs village health guides functioning in the country.
• Village health guides are selected on the following points:
  • They must be the permanent residents of local community.
  • They should be able to read and write and have a minimum formal education of at least upto 6th standard.
  • They must be acceptable to all sections of community.
  • They should able to spare 2 to 3 hours every day for community health work.
  • As they get selected, they should undergo training in nearest primary health center for 200 hours spread over a period of 3 months and should receive 200/- per month as their stipend.
• Duties of village health guide are:
  • Treatment of the simple ailments and activities in first aid.
  • Care of mother and child health which also include family planning.
  • To take care of health education and sanitation.
• Village health guides do community health work of about 2 to 3 hours daily. They get honorarium of Rs 50 per month and drugs worth Rs 600/- per annum.
• Target of village health guides is to have one village health guide for each village or 1000 rural population.

Local dais

• Under rural health scheme, an extensive program knowledge in elementary concepts of maternal and child health as well as sterilization.
• Training of local dais should be held at public health centre, subcenter or maternal and child health centre for 2 days a week and remaining 4 days they accompany female health workers to villages for 30 days.
• Each Dai should get stipend of Rs 300 during their training period.
• At the time of training each Dai should conduct 2 deliveries in supervision of a health worker, main emphasis should be on asepsis, so that home delivery is conducted in hygienic environment which reduces both maternal and infant mortality.
• As training of Dai get completed, she should be provided by the delivery kit and is entitled to receive the monetary compensation per delivery and for each of the infant which is registered by her.

Anganwadi worker

• Under the integrated child development services scheme Anganwadi covers population of 1000 in rural and urban and 700 in tribal areas.
• An Anganwadi should be run by Anganwadi worker who is selected from the community, she is trained for 4 months in aspects of health, nutrition and child development.
• An Anganwadi worker should be paid Rs 1500 per month as honorarium for services rendered which includes health check up, immunization, supplementary nutrition, health education, non-formal preschool education and referral services.
• Services provided by Anganwadi workers are:
  • To provide supplementary nutrition for children less than 6 years and pregnant and lactating mothers.
  • Immunize children less than 6 years and also the pregnant and lactating mothers.
  • Check-up of health for children less than 6 years and also the pregnant and lactating mothers.
  • Referral services for children less than 6 years and also the pregnant and lactating mothers.
  • To provide pre-school education for children between 3 to 6 years.
  • To provide nutrition and health education for women aged 15 to 45 years.

Accredited social health activist (ASHA)

National rural health mission (NRHM) provides each village in India with a trained female community health activist or accredited social health activist.

• ASHA should be selected from village itself.
• It is trained and work as interface between community and public health system.
• ASHA should receive training of 23 days in five episodes.
• One ASHA works for the population of 1000 in a village.
• After her work, experience of six months she is introduced to the HIV/AIDS issues.
• Key components of ASHA are:
  • ASHA should primarily a woman resident of village preferably between the age of 25 to 45 years.
  • ASHA should be a literate woman with formal education till class VIII. This can be relaxed only if no suitable person with this qualification available.
  • ASHA will be chosen via rigorous process of selection which involves various community groups, self help groups, Anganwadi institution, block nodal officer, district nodal officer, village health committee and Gram sabha.
  • ASHA should undergo series of training episodes to acquire necessary knowledge, skills and confidence for performing spelled out roles.
  • Incentives should be given to ASHA based on the performance for promoting universal immunization, referral and escort services for reproductive and child health, other health care programs, and the construction of other household toilets.
  • ASHA should be empowered with the knowledge and a drug kit to deliver first contact healthcare, every ASHA should be fountain head of the community participation in the public health program in her village.
  • ASHA should be the first port of call for any of the health related demands of the deprived section of population mainly the woman and children, to whom it is difficult to access the health services.
  • ASHA should be health activist inside the community and should create awareness on the health and its social determinants and mobilize the community towards local health planning and increase in utilization and accountability of existing health services.
  • ASHA would be the promoter of good health practices and provide the minimum package of curative care as appropriate and feasible for that level and should make time bind referrals.
  • ASHA should provide information to community over the determinants of health such as nutrition, basic sanitation and the hygiene practices, healthy living and the working conditions, information of the existing health services and need for the timely utilization of health and family welfare services.
  • ASHA should council women on the birth preparedness, importance of the safe delivery, breast feeding and the complimentary feeding, contraception, immunization and prevention of common infections.
  • ASHA mobilizes the community and facilitate them in accessing health and health related services present at Anganwadi/sub-center and primary health centers. i.e. immunization, Anti natal and post-natal checkups, sanitation and the other services provided by the government.
  • ASHA should act as a depot holder for essential provisions being made available to all habitations such as oral rehydration therapy, iron folic acid tablet, pill and condoms etc.

Sub-centers

• A sub-center is the most peripheral and is the first contact point between the primary health care system and community.
• As per the population one sub-center is established for every 5000 population in the plain areas and every 3000 population in hilly/desert/tribal areas.
• Sub-center mainly provides the interface with community at the ground level and provides primary health care services such as mother and child health care, family planning and immunization, adolescent health care etc.
• Sub-centers are of two types i.e. Type A and Type B. Type A provide all of the recommended services except the facilities for conducting delivery is not present here. If requirement of delivery services is there, sub-center should be considered for upgradation to Type B.
• Recommended staffing pattern for sub-centers is two ANM i.e. one essential and one desirable and one health worker male for Type-A which is essential. For Sub-centre Type-B two ANMs i.e. both of them are essential and one health worker male which is essential.
• One staff nurse or ANM is provided, if number of deliveries at sub-center is 20 or more in a month.
• Sanitation services should be provided via outsourcing on part time basis at Type-A and full time basis at Type-B.
• There are 1,48,366 sub-centers in India.

Primary Health Centre Level

• Bhore committee in 1946 gave the concept of a primary health center as a basic health unit, to provide, as close to the people as possible, and integrated curative and preventive health care to the rural population with emphasis on preventive and promotive aspects of health care.
• Health planners in India had understood that public health centers and its subcenters are the proper infrastructure for providing health services to rural population.
• A primary health center is established for every 30,000 rural population in the plains and one public health center for every 20,000 population in hilly, tribal and backward areas has been proposed for effective coverage with 4 to 6 indoor/observation beds.
• One primary health center functions as a referral unit for 6 subcenters and referral cases to community health centers.
• Presently one primary health center cover a population of one lakh and is spread to 100 villages.
• In India, primary health centers are setup and maintained by state government. Under minimum need program and basic minimum services program.
• As the data available in September 2005 there are 23,236 primary health centers running in India as compared to 23,109 health centers in September 2004.

Hospitals/Health Centers

Community Health Centers

• Secondary level of health care consists of community health centers which constitutes first referral unit and the district hospitals.
• Community health centers were created to provide referral health care for cases from primary level and for cases who are in need for specialist care and approaching the centre directly.
• Four primary health care centers are included in single community health center which caters to approximately 80,000 population in tribal/hilly areas and 1:20000 population in plain areas.
• Community health center consists of a 30 bedded hospital which provide specialist care in medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery and pediatrics.
• There are around 4, 833 community health centers in India till 2012.
• Community health center consists of a block medical officer/medical superintendent, one public health specialist and one public health nurse. Support manpower consists of a dental assistant, multi rehabilitation worker, cold chain and vaccine logistic assistant in addition to existing staff.

Rural Hospitals

• These basically are rural dispensaries which provide allopathic/traditional medicine.
• Government proposed to upgrade these hospitals to primary health centers.

District Hospitals

District hospitals are proposed by the government to be converted to district health centers.

Health Insurance Scheme

Employees State insurance Scheme

• This is an integral social security scheme which is tailored to provide social protection to workers and their dependents in the organized sector, in contingencies i.e. sickness, maternity and death or disablement because of the employment injury or occupational hazard.
• It is applicable to non-seasonal factories which use power and employ 20 or more persons and to non-seasonal factories which employ 10 or more persons and non-power using factories employing 20 or more persons. This is now extended to shop, hotel, restaurants, cinema, road motor transport undertakings and newspaper establishments employing 20 or more persons.

Central Government Health Scheme

• This scheme was started under the Indian ministry of health and Family welfare in 1954.
• The objective of the scheme is to provide comprehensive medical care facilities to central government employees and their family members.

Universal Health Insurance Scheme

• This is mainly the government sponsored community based insurance scheme for below poverty line families.
• This scheme is open to any individual but subsidy is given only to below poverty line people.
• This scheme is mainly designed not to cover the poor families on Indian streets but to those who are the members of some group, e.g. bidi workers, handloom weavers etc.
• This is basically a group insurance scheme with membership of around 100 families.

Other Agencies

Defense Medical Services

They constitute their own organization for medical care to defense personnel under the name ‘Armed forces medical services’.

Health Care of Railway Employees

• Indian railway medical services is the organize service of government of India.
• Officers of this service provide comprehensive health care to serve the railway employees, retired railway employees and their dependents and as well as other categories of staff i.e. contractors, vendors and licensed porters.
• Indian railways consist of a vast network of hospital clinics and the specialized hospitals. Beside this, 150 private hospitals are recognized for the treatment.
• Railway employees are referred to medical colleges and specialized treatment centers and their expenses are reimbursed.

Private Sector

• In India, private practice provides the large share of health services available.
• Private practice constitutes the 70% of medical profession and tends to accumulate in urban areas.
• Their services are only for those who can pay.

Indigenous Systems of Medicine

Practitioners of indigenous system of medicine such as Ayurveda, Yoga and naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) provide bulk medical care to the rural people. This is also known as Indian system of medicine and homeopathy.

Voluntary Health Agencies

It is defined as “an organization that is administered by an autonomous board which hold meeting, collect funds for its support chiefly from private sources and expends money, whether with or without paid workers, in conducting a program directed primarily to furthering the public health by providing health services or health education or by advancing research or legislation for health, or by a combination of these activities”. Gunn & Platt (1945)

Various voluntary agencies in India are:

• Indian Red Cross Society:
• Hind Kusht Nivaran Sangh
• Indian Council for Child Welfare
• Tuberculosis Association of India
• Bharat Sevak Samaj
• The Kasturba Memorial Funds
• The All India Blind Relief Society
• All India Women’s Conference
• Family Planning Association of India.

National Health Programmes in India

• These programs are launched by Government of India for the control or eradication of communicable diseases, environmental sanitation, nutrition, population control and rural health.
• Various programs are:
  • Anti-malaria programme
  • Dengue control
  • National tuberculosis programme
  • National AIDS control programme
  • National cancer control programme
  • National leprosy-eradication programme
  • Reproductive and child health programme

Question 3. Write note on world health agencies.
Or
Write in brief on international health agencies.
Answer. Following are the world health agencies:

• International Red Cross and Red Crescent movement
• The Pan American Sanitary Bureau
• The Rockefeller Foundation
• The Health Organization of the League of Nations
• International Labor Organization
• The Ford Foundation
• The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
• The World Bank Group
• Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere
• The Food and Agriculture Organization
• The Colombo Plan
• Unites States Agency for International Development
• United Nations Development Program.

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

• This is the world’s largest humanitarian network with the presence and activities in all the countries.
• Its movement is neural as well as impartial, it also provide protection and assistance to people who is affected by disasters and conflicts.
• The three main components of International red cross are:
  • International committee of Red Cross
  • International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
  • 186 member red cross and Red Crescent societies
• Seven of the fundamental principles of red cross and red crescent are: humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary service, Unity, Universality.

The Pan American Sanitary Bureau

• It is the oldest international health agency in the world.
• It is the secretariat of Pan American Health Organization.
• It was originated in 1902 in Washington for serving the objectives of American continent.
• This bureau is committed to provide technical support and leadership to PAHO member state, so that they pursue their goal of Health for All and the values therein.

The Office International D’Hygiene publique (OIHP)

• It was created under the arrangements which were signed in Rome on 9 Dec 1907.
• This was basically governed by authority of permanent committee which consists of delegates technically qualified in field of health and were designated by member states.
• Responsibilities of the office were administration of international sanitary convention, service of epidemiological intelligence and collection and dissemination to member states of information of general public health information.

The Rockefeller Foundation

• In 1913, the Rockefeller foundation was officially founded with the purpose of promoting wellbeing of human populations around the world.
• Its initial activities were mainly in the field of medical and public health education.
• But later on Rockefeller foundation was extended to the fields of life sciences, agricultural sciences, social sciences and humanities.
• Rockefeller foundation is active with its work in India since 1920. In India its first work was project for control of hookworm infections.

The Health Organization of League of Nations

• This was an international organization which was found as a result of Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920.
• Goals of the League are disarmament, preventing war through collective security, settling disputes between countries through negotiation, diplomacy and improvement of global quality of life.
• It has outstanding work in field of nutrition, malaria, biological standardization and rural hygiene.
• It provides international help to government during epidemics.
• League of nations was dissolved in 1939, but its health organization in Geneva continue publication of weekly epidemiological record.

International Labour Organization

• Its an old organization which is dated from end of first world war.
• This is formed in year 1919 as an affiliate of League of Nations with its headquarter in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Its primary function is to establish conventions safeguarding the conditions of labor.
• Its functions are:
  • Establishment of peace by promoting social justice.
  • It improves living standards and labor conditions of working people all over the world.
  • It promotes economical and social stability.

The Ford Foundation

• It was established on January 15, 1936.
• Its founding charter states that the resources should be used for scientific, educational and charitable purposes all for the public welfare.
• The foundation made grants to many kind of organizations.

The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration

• It was created at a 44 – nation conference at White house on 9 November 1943.
• The mission of this organization is to provide economic assistance to European nations after world war II and also to repatriate as well as assist the refugees who come under the allied control.
• It was wound up in 1946 – 47 as some of its residual funds were given to International Refugee organization. And Interim commission of WHO.

The World Bank Group

It consists of five organizations:

• The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development: It is the main lending organization of World Bank Group and was conceived in July 1944.
• The International Finance Corporation: It is the member of world bank group which promote growth of private sector in less developed member countries. It helps in financing for individual private enterprise projects which contribute to economic development of country where the project is located,
• The International Development association: It promotes economic development in world’s poorest countries which cannot afford to borrow from International bank for Reconstruction and development.
• The International Centre For the settlement of Investment Disputes: It Promote increase flows of the international investment by providing facility for conciliation and arbitration of dispute between foreign investors and the government.
• The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency: It promote flow of foreign direct investment among the member countries by insuring investments against non- commercial risk and also by providing the promotional as well as advisory services for help of member countries to create attractive investment.

Cooperative For Assistance and Relief Everywhere, INC. (CARE)

• It is the world’s largest private humanitarian organizations.
• It was founded in 1945, when 22 of the American organizations for rushing lifesaving CARE packages for survivors of World War II.
• It has staff of more than 12,000. It helps in strengthen communities via array of programmes which work to create lasting solution to root causes of the poverty.

The Food and Agriculture Organization

It is the organization which is concerned with the human diseases of the animal origin along with nutrition and with the rural hygiene.

The Colombo plan

• It was a born out of common wealth conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Colombo, Ceylon in January 1950.
• Its objective is to establish for cooperative economic and social development in Asia and Pacific countries.
• Its main function is to provide assistance to its member countries in field of agricultural and industrial development.
• It also provides support in health promotion.

United State Agency for International Development

• Its aim is to help countries in their economic as well as social development.
• It provides assistance to India in variety of projects for improvement of health of people.

United Nations Development Programme

• It acts as main source of funds for technical assistance to both developed and developing countries.
• Its main objective is to help nations in strengthening their natural and human resources.

Question 4. Write short note on UNICEF.
Or
Write note on UNICEF.
Answer. Full form of UNICEF is United Nation’s Children Emergency Fund.

• It was created by General Assembly during its first session in 1946.
• Main purpose of the formation of this union was to meet the emergency needs of children around the world.
• Headquarters of UNICEF is situated in New York.
• UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA) is at New Delhi which includes India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Pakistan.

Functions Of UNICEF

• It assists in the planning and extension of servicesbenefiting children, in consultation with the countries concerned.
• Provides support to strengthen the training and orientationof national personnel, including health and hygiene functionaries, teachers, nutritionists and child welfare specialists.
• It supports activities related to women’s empowerment as well as community participation in implementation and monitoring of services benefiting children and women.
• It helps in development of appropriate communication material for advocacy and information dissemination and education.
• It delivers technical supplies, equipment and other aids.

Question 5. Write notes on WHO and its structural organization.
Answer. WHO was established in the year 1948 by 61 governments “for purpose of co-operation among themselves with others to promote the health of all people”.

• WHO was officially born on 7th April 1948.
• WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system.
• It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring as well as assessing health trends.

Structural Organization of WHO

It consists of:

• The World Health Assembly
  • It is the supreme decision making body for WHO.
  • Sessions of assembly take place annually, usually in May each year in Geneva.
  • They are attended by delegations from all member states and representatives from other international bodies and non-governmental organizations.
  • Its main tasks are to approve the biennial program and budget, and to decide upon major questions of policy.
• The Executive Board (or Cabinet)
  • Executive Board consists of 34 persons technically qualified in the field of health, each appointed by designated member States elected by the Assembly.
  • These members are elected for the term of three years.
  • Board meets at least twice a year; the main meeting is normally in January, with a second short meeting immediately following the Assembly.
  • Board functions as the executive organ of the Assembly, prepares the agenda for each session of the Assembly, and submits to it a general program of work.
  • Main function of board is to provide effect to the decisions as well as policies of health assembly, to advise it and to facilitate the work.
• The Secretariat (or Civil Service)
  • Secretariat is the staff of WHO, with the DirectorGeneral as its technical and administrative head, which is appointed for 5-year term by health assembly on nomination of the executive board.
  • The term”Secretariot” includes the whole staff i.e. 8000 health and other experts, those in Geneva as well as in the six regional offices and personnel working at the country level.
  • The Secretariat is similar to the national organization of democratic country, and other Specialized Agencies of the United Nations, and the United Nations itself, have comparable structures.
  • Provision is made for the establishment of the committees and conferences; for certain information and reports to be submitted by members; and for the creation of regional organizations.

Question 6. Enumerate the international health agencies. Discuss the World Health Organization in detail.
Or
Write short answer on WHO.
Or
Write short note on role of WHO.
Or
Write note on WHO.
Or
Write in brief on World Health Organization.
Or
Write short note on WHO. 
Or
Write short note on World Health Organization.
Or
Classify international health agencies. Discuss the structure and functions of World Health Organization.
Answer. Following are the international health agencies:

• World Health Organization
• Pan American Health Organization
• Food and Agriculture Organization
• The United Nations Development Program
• The Pan American Health and Education Foundation
• International Committee of the Red Cross
• The World Bank
• United Nations Population Fund
• Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere
• The Rockefeller Foundation
• The Ford Foundation
• World Trade Organization.

World Health Organization

• WHO was established in the year 1948 by 61 governments “for purpose of co-operation among themselves with others to promote the health of all people”.
• WHO was officially born on 7th Apr 1948.
• WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system.
• It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

The WHO Agenda

• WHO operates in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing landscape.
• The boundaries of public health action have become blurred, extending into other sectors that influence health opportunities and outcomes.
• WHO responds to these challenges using a six-point agenda.
• The six-points address two health objectives, two strategic needs, and two operational approaches.

Promoting Development

• Activities of WHO are towards the development of health.
• It provides priority to outcome of health in poor people.
• Cornerstones of health and developing agenda are achieving health related millennium development goals; preventing as well as treating chronic diseases and address the neglected tropical diseases.

Fostering Health Security

• Shared vulnerability to health security threats demands collective action.
• One of the greatest threats to international health security arises from outbreaks of emerging and epidemic prone diseases.
• These outbreaks are occurring in increasing numbers, fuelled by such factors as rapid urbanization, environmental mismanagement, the way food is produced and traded, and the way antibiotics are used and misused.

Strengthening Health Systems

• For health improvement to operate as a poverty reduction strategy, health services must reach poor and underserved populations.
• Health systems in many parts of the world are unable to do so, making the strengthening of health systems a high priority for WHO.
• Areas being addressed include the provision of adequate numbers of appropriately trained staff, sufficient financing, suitable systems for collecting vital statistics, and access to appropriate technology including essential drugs.

Harnessing Research, Information and Evidence

• Evidence provides the foundation for setting priorities defining strategies, and measuring results.
• WHO generates authoritative health information in consultation with leading experts, to set norms and standards, articulate evidence-based policy options and monitor the evolving global heath situation.

Enhancing Partnerships

• WHO carries out its work with the support and collaboration of many partners, including UN agencies and other international organizations, donors, civil society and the private sector.
• WHO uses the strategic power of evidence to encourage partners implementing programs within countries to align their activities with best technical guidelines and practices, as well as with the priorities established by countries.

Improving Performance

• WHO participates in ongoing reforms aimed at improving its efficiency and effectiveness, both at the international level and within countries.
• WHO aims to ensure that its strongest asset, its staff, works in an environment that is motivating and rewarding.
• WHO plans its budget and its activities through result based management with clear expected results to measure performance at country, regional and international levels.

Principles of WHO

• The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, and political belief, economic or social condition.
• The health of all people is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is dependent upon the fullest cooperation of individuals and states.
• The achievement of any state in the promotion and protection of health is of value to all.
• Unequal development in different countries in the promotion of health and control of disease, especially communicable disease, is a common danger.
• Healthy development of the child is of basic importance; the ability to live harmoniously in a changing total environment is essential to such development.
• The extension to all people of the benefits of medical, psychological and related knowledge is essential to the fullest attainment of health.
• Informed opinion and active cooperation on the part of the public are of the utmost importance in the improvement of the health of the people.
• Governments have a responsibility for the health of their people which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social measures.

Accepting these principles, and for the purpose ofcooperation among themselves and with others to promote and protect the health of all people, the contracting parties agree is the present constitution and hereby establish the World Health Organization as a specialized agency within the terms of Article 57 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Functions/Roles of WHO

• To act as the directing and coordinating authority oninternational health work.
  • It is the first constitutional function of WHO.
  • This role allows WHO member states for collectively identifying the priority health problems and to define health policies as well as targets to cope up with them.
  • It also device the strategies, principles and program for giving effect to these policies as well as to achieve targets.
• Prevention and control of a specific disease
  • WHO undergoes epidemiologic surveillance of the communicable disease.
  • WHO collects the epidemiologic information ofdiseases by automatic telex reply service and weekly epidemiologic records.
• Development of comprehensive health services
  • It consists of various activities such as infrastructure development, development of health manpower, heath services research, etc.
• Family health
  • Main objective to improve the quality of life of the family as unit.
• Environment health
  • WHO advises various governments over national health programs for basic sanitary services.
  • Main activities are to protect air, water, food, soil at health conditions during work and protection from the radiation.
• Health Statistics
  • WHO is concerned with statistics of morbidity and mortality related to the health problems.
  • It publishes the classification of diseases which is changed at every 10th year.
• Biomedical research
  • WHO coordinates and stimulate research work.
  • WHO collaborating centers are present worldwide.
• Health literature and information
  • WHO has numerous publications on various health subjects.
  • Library of WHO is the satellite center of MEDLARS which is a computerized indexing system.
  • It covers complete medicine on international grounds.
• Cooperation with other organizations
  • WHO has got collaboration with United Nations andvarious other agencies.

Question 7. Write short note on WHO’s oral health for healthy life.
Answer. The 30th world health assembly resolves in may 1977, that “the main social target of governments and WHO in the coming decades should be attained by all citizens of the world by the year of 2000 of a level of health that will permit them to lead a socially and economically productive life”. This culminated in the international objective of oral health for healthy life by the year 2000 as the social goal of all governments.

• The goal of oral health for healthy life has two perspectives. It simply means the realization of the WHO’s objective of “attainment by all people of highest possible level of oral health.
• Oral health for healthy life means that oral health is to be brought within the reach of everyone in the given community. It implies the removal of obstacles to oral health, i.e. elimination of malnutrition, ignorance, high fluoride water supply, etc.

Question 8. Write short note on voluntary health agencies.
Or
Write in brief on Voluntary Health Organization.
Answer. It is defined as “an organization that is administered by an autonomous board which hold meeting, collect funds for its support chiefly from private sources and expends money, whether with or without paid workers, in conducting a program directed primarily to furthering the public health by providing health services or health education or by advancing research or legislation for health, or by a combination of these activities”. Gunn & Platt (1945)

Voluntary Health Organization Function

• Supplementing the work of government agencies.
• Pioneering.
• Education.
• Demonstration.
• Gardening the work of government agencies.
• Advancing health legislation.

Voluntary Health Agencies in India

• Hind Kusht Nivaran Sangh
• Indian Council for Child Welfare
• Tuberculosis Association of India
• Bharat Sevak Samaj
• The kasturba Memorial Funds
• The All India Blind Relief Society
• All India Women’s Conference
• Family Planning Association of India.

Hind Kusht Nivaran Sangh

• This was founded in 1950 and its headquarters is situated in New Delhi.
• It renders financial assistance to leprosy homes and clinics, health education via publication and posters, training of medical workers and physiotherapists, conduct research and field investigations, organize All India Leprosy Worker Conferences and publication of ‘Leprosy in India, a quarterly journal.

Indian Council For Child Welfare

• It was established in year 1952.
• It services are to secure for India’s children the opportunities and facilities, by law as well as other means which enable them to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in healthy and normal manner.

Tuberculosis Association of India

• This was founded in 1939.
• It organizes annual TB seal campaign to raise funds, training of doctors, health visitors and social workers for anti-tuberculosis work.
• It also promotes health education and promotes consultation as well as conferences.

Bharat Sewak Samaj

• This is non-political and non-official organization which is formed in 1952.
• It helps people to achieve health by their own action and the efforts.

Kasturba Memorial Funds

• This organization was created in memory of Kasturba Gandhi after her death in 1944.
• Its action was to improve the condition of Indian Women in villages by Gram Sevikas.

All India Blind Relief Society

• This was established in 1946.
• It coordinates different institutions which work for the blind people.

All India Women’s Conference

• This was founded in 1926.
• It is the single women welfare organization of country.

Family Planning Association of India

• It was formed in 1949 and its headquarter is situated in Bombay.
• It train several hundred doctors, health visitors and social workers in propagating family planning in India.

Question 9. Write briefly role of health agencies in tackling health problems in India.
Answer. Following are the roles of health agencies in tackling health problems in India:

• Health agencies like family planning association leads to population stabilization, prevention of unsafe abortions, reduction in infant and maternal mortality rate, reduction in reproductive morbidity of man and woman, gender equity and gender equality.
• National mental health program plays role by training mental health team at identified nodal institutes within state, increase awareness about mental health, etc.
• Red Cross Society plays role by providing social and relief work, supply essential items, maintain blood banks, provide services for maternal and child welfare, medical care for defense forces, first aid services.
• Action for autism facilitates a barrier free environment, informational, attitude and physical to create opportunities for education, employment and socialization for persons with autism, empowers families of individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
• Chetna organization provides comprehensive mental health care for needy and deserving and also undertakes programs to educate society about attitudinal changes required regarding mental health.
• All India Women’s Conference work for general progress and welfare of women and children to help women utilize the fullest.
• Pragati organization looks for healthcare and general upliftment of urban children. It teaches children through loving, care and help with books, food, school uniform and all.
• National Cancer Control Program helps in primary and secondary prevention of cancer, also strengthen existing cancer treatment facilities and provide palliative care in terminal stage of cancer.

Question 10. Write short note on Indian red cross society.
Answer. Indian Red Cross Society comes under existence during 1920 through an Indian Parliamentary Act.

• It works with the objective of promoting health and preventing diseases.
• The various activities of Indian Red Cross Society is as follows:

Social and Relief Work

During the time of national disasters like foods, drought, earthquakes and epidemics the Red Cross Society of India provide medical relief as well rescue operations for affected people.

Supplies of Essential Items

Red Cross Society gives assistance to hospitals, maternity health centers, child care centers, school, orphanages and rehabilitation centers through the supply of drugs, milk, milk powder, vitamins, nutritional supplements and official appliances.

Maintenance of Blood Banks

Red Cross Society has established large number of blood banks in different parts of the country for helping people in need of blood emergencies.

Services for Maternal and Child Welfare

Red Cross Society has established a wide number of maternity and child welfare centers in different states within a country. It also provides assistance to other health organization providing maternal and child care.

Family Planning Services

Red Cross Society supports many family planning programs in different parts of country.

Medical Care for Defense Services

Red Cross Society provides help to sick and wounded members of defense forces and run special centers for their care.

Question 11. Write short note on the National Oral Health Policy.
Answer. National Oral Health Policy was formulated by “Dental Council of India” through the input of two national workshops organized in 1991 and 1994 at Delhi and Mysuru.

The above workshops were considered as the recommendations of National workshops on oral health goals for India, Bombay 1984 and a draft oral health policy prepared by IDA in 1986.

As follow-up measure of these efforts, core committee appointed by Ministry and Health and Family Welfare succeed to move the resolution in fourth conference of Central Council of Health and Family Welfare in 1995. Council has brought about a ten point resolution.

• There is an urgent need for an oral health policy for nation as an integral part of National Health Policy.
• A special, well coordinated, National Oral Health Program is to be launched to provide oral health care both in rural and urban areas due to deteriorating oral health conditions in country as revealed by various epidemiological studies. Dentist to population ratio in rural areas is only 1:300000 whereas 80% children and 60% adults suffer from dental caries. In addition 35% of all cancers of body are oral cancers. In view of all these facts it is important to launch preventive, curative and educational oral health care program integrated into the existing system utilizing the existing health and educational infrastructure in rural, urban and deprived areas.
• A post of full time dental advisor at appropriate level in Directorate General of Health Services should be created as a first step towards strengthening the technical wing of the Directorate General of Health Services.
• Studies have been revealed that dental diseases are increasing both in prevalence and severity over last few decades. So, there is an urgent need to prevent rising trend of dental disease in India. Method used for primary prevention of dental diseases aim at achieving primary prevention of periodontal diseases and oral cancers.
• The council resolves that promotive and preventive oral health services should be introduced from the village levels and accordingly a pilot project on oral health care may be launched by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare during 1995–96 in five districts, one each in five states.
• Council further resolves that legislative measures be adopted to ensure a statutory warning on the wrappers and advertisement of sweets, chocolates and other retentive sugar eatables TOO MUCH EATING SWEETS MAY LEAD TO DECAY OF TOOTH. Similar measures are also called for tobacco and pan masala related products.
• Council recommends that a national training center be established or the existing centers be strengthening for training of various categories of oral health care personnel.
• The council also resolves that all district hospitals and community health centers have dental clinics. All dental colleges should have courses on dental hygienist and dental technicians.
• The council further resolves that the pilot project may be extended to all the states at the rate of one district in every state.
• Council also resolves that there is an urgent need to have a National Institute for Dental Research to guide oral health research appropriate to the needs of the country.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India accepted in principle the National Oral Health Policy in year 1995 to be included in the National Health Policy.

Question 12. Write short answer on dental camps.
Answer. Dental camps are arranged in remote rural areas where there is no facility to provide dental treatments to the poor rural population.

• Dental camp should be organized in a hospital, dispensary and a school building with help of social workers or health workers.
• Date of camp should be announced in the area about one week before through loudspeakers etc, so that it is known to everybody.
• In dental camps preventive measures should be emphasized and undertaken.
• Dental health education exhibition along with posters and audiovisual films should be the part of dental camp.

Types of Dental Camps

Dental camps are of two types i.e. open camps and closed camps:

Open camps: These camps are for all and any person can utilize the facilities available in the camp. These camps are more useful for the poor rural population.

Closed camps: These camps are organized for a particular preselected group like school children, factory workers, etc.

Advantages of Dental Camps

• Camps take dentistry to the needy poor rural population.
• Camps are like the fair for the people and they take interest in it and also enjoy it.
• Preventive dental health education program like topical fluoride application, etc should be undertaken on a mass scale.
• Good public relations are developed.

Disadvantages of Dental Camps

• More funds are needed.
• More manpower is needed.
• Proper planning and administration is required.
• Cooperation of local social workers is required.