Mangala Subramanian PG DHHM MD (Community Medicine)
Professor of Community Medicine Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Foreword S Pruthvish
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Handbook of Community Medicine
First Edition: 2012
9789350259238
Printed at
5Dedicated to
7Foreword
There have been significant changes in the area of health care—increase in infrastructure, increase in human resource, new perspectives to public health. Notable among the new perspectives have been focus towards primary health care and health for all by the year 2000 and National Rural Health Mission and upcoming urban health mission.
The numbers of medical colleges have increased both in Government and Private sectors and numbers of postgraduates in the Departments of Community Medicine have also been enhanced. There are also increasing opportunities for the postgraduates. Also, we see more than 10 institutions in our country attempting to evolve Master in Public Health (MPH) course—some of them open to non-medical personnel too.
Climate change, Emerging epidemics of Chikungunya, Dengue, H1N1, Bird flu, SARS and HIV/AIDS have opened new challenges to health care systems on one side. On the other side, it is heartening to note that we are heading towards eliminations of Polio and Leprosy, almost near achievement of control of Guinea worm disease and eradication of smallpox.
Advances in the field of information and communication technology have been harnessed to provide improvised health care to the marginalized through telemedicine and innovative endeavors. Mobile health care and modern health care delivery systems have helped the populations to access and avail the benefits of modern health care.
Developments in related fields of biotechnology and immunology have helped to develop newer vaccines for infectious diseases and some non-infectious diseases as well.
It is well recognized throughout the world that there is a 8need for more human resource in public health. It is the duty of all of us as teaching professionals in public health to inspire and prepare young medical graduates-in-making, to choose (rather than by force) public health and community medicine as their career. There is a need to take up public health as a choice rather than chance.
Dr Mangala Subramanian, Professor of Community Medicine, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre was my student in Community Medicine. She is meticulous and highly dedicated to the profession. She is very keen to inspire the young medical graduates with a Handbook of Community Medicine. I am very confident that this handbook will not only help medical students during preparation for their examination but also serve as a ready-reckoner for all doctors throughout their career as well as for dental, nursing and para-medical students.
I wish Dr Subramanian and the publishers, M/s Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi, India, the very best.
S Pruthvish
Professor and Head
Department of Community Medicine
MS Ramaiah Medical College
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
9Preface
Community Medicine is a vast subject and Handbook of Community Medicine has been written keeping in mind the undergraduate and postgraduate medical, dental, nursing and para-medical students. It is hoped that the book will be of immense help not only to the students but also to the medical practitioners and health workers in the community.
11Acknowledgments
I wholeheartedly thank the Director, Mrs DA Kalpaja and the Advisor, Dr S Kantha of Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, for their constant encouragement and invaluable help in my academic career.
I express my deep sense of gratitude to the Head of Department, Dr G Subrahmanyam, and I am grateful to all my colleagues in the Department of Community Medicine for their continuous support in all my endeavors.
I am also thankful to my family and all my friends for all the help and support rendered to me during the writing of the book.
I am extremely grateful to M/s Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi, India, and their team of dedicated people who have inspired me to write this book. It has been brought out in a vivid, concise and interesting format for all students of Community Health.