Introductory Chapter: Public Health Afflictions and Challenges in the Developing World

Abstract

Public health is as well a common domain between individuals, communities, groups, and government and/or its institutions and agencies. Even where there are formal and institutional provision of facilities and services, accessing these services and responding to guidelines and procedures of health are usually at the level of individuals and communities. The above is especially obvious in the area of infectious or contagious diseases where prevention and curtailment are deemed necessary. In other words, a good public health system depends as much on formal provision of facilities and services as it depends on a responsive public. Therefore, health promotion is a key element and goal of public health. In doing this, public health strives to encourage healthy lifestyles and the prevention of diseases and epidemics through health education and intervention actions. There is no gainsaying the fact that public health interventions that are carefully tailored and conscientiously implemented would lead to reduced mortality in the general population and improved quality of life and life expectancy. These would in turn impact positively on socioeconomic development. By definition, public health lays emphasis on social and environmental contexts of diseases and health problems. It, from this pedestal aspires to improve health through large-scale societal initiatives like vaccinations, fluoridation of drinking water, easy and affordable access to health facilities, and even such behavior modifying acts like prohibition of smoking and demonizing cigarettes as a way of curbing the spread of tobacco-related diseases in the population. In other words, public health while including the treatment of individuals or communities goes beyond this to focus on health promotion, disease prevention, recovery, rehabilitation , and broad health support for the community or society. From the perspective of the present volume, the conceptualization of public health as both art and science is very instructive. In this sense, it provides a unique opportunity for a fusion or coming together of science and arts. Therefore, public