"Public Health" is the Science and the art of preventing diseases, prolonging life, and promoting physical health and efficiency through organised state effort, by the sanitation of the environment, the control of infections, the education of the individual in principles of personal hygiene, the organisation of medical and nursing service for the early diagnosis and preventive treatment of disease, and the development of the social machinery which will ensure to every individual a standard of living adequate for the maintenance of health. It is the organising of these benefits in such a fashion as to enable every citizen to realise his birthright of health and longevity.
The preservation of the public health is one of the duties devolving upon the State, as a sovereign power. Infact, among all of the objects sought to be secured by Governmental
laws, none is more important than the preservation of the Public Health and an imperative obligation rests upon the civic body through its agencies to take all necessary steps
to promote this object . It is as much for the interest of the civic body that the public health should be preserved as that life should be made secure. The right to the enjoyment
of the health is a subdivision of the right of the personal security, one of the absolute rights of personal.
"Salus populi supreme lax" or the safety of the people is the supreme law, is an ancient Roman maxim. The power to protect the health
and welfare of the people has always been considered an inherent right and duty of any sovereignty. From time immemorial, health has been recognised by Government as the thing
without which life is not worth living. Accordingly, the civic body has always taken such measures as seemed wise to maintain and preserve the health of those subject to its authority.
This is a power inherent in every Government to enact such laws, as will promote the health, Safety, Morale, Order, Comfort and General Welfare of the Society. It means to some
extent the power of promoting public welfare, by restraining and regulating the use of liberty and property.
With this principle the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act 1939, Madras City Municipal Act 1919, Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954, Birth & Death Registration Act 1969 and such other Acts are formulated. The Health Department function within the frame work of above said Acts to achieve the goal of Health For All in different ways described below.
The Chennai city is situated on the coast of Bay of Bengal. The climate is hot and humid. The city boundary is extended to about 216 sq. Kms and the existing population is estimated to be around 45 Lakhs. Further increase in geographical area and addition of population is inevitable.
The Health Department in Greater Chennai Corporation is the oldest establishment and most vital component. Primary health care, control of communicable diseases, regulation of D & O trades, general sanitation, vital statistics, maintenance of burial grounds and slaughter houses are the principal duties of health department.
With the emerging and re-emerging communicable diseases, population explosion, advancement in medical technology and national and International Health Policies the scope and responsibilities
of the Health Department has increased several folds.
The Health Department is possessing adequate infrastructure, men and materials to deal with control of communicable diseases and implementation all national health Programmes
along with other public health activities.
Health Care Delivery System
- Control of Communicable Diseases
- Treatment of minor Ailments through Dispensaries
- Vector Borne Disease Control
- Revised National Tuberclosis Control Programme
- Preventation of Food Adulteration
- Environmental Sanitation
- Diagnostic Laboratory Services
- School Health Programme
- HIV/AIDS Control Programme FHA
- Slum Health Programme
- Registration of Vital Events
- Veterinary Public Health
- Disaster Management
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