THE ROLES OF THE MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH IN CONTEMPORARY PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE By Dr. Adetoun Agbe-Davies Chairman Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee

Definition of Key Terms ‘Role’ – the part to play, the function ‘Contemporary’ – occurring or existing at the same time ‘Public’ – relating to the people as a whole ‘Medical Officer of Health’ – a public health physician of a health department of a local government who advises and leads a team of health officials on matters of public health importance

Where We Are Coming From? Historical Perspectives Communicable Diseases Control MCH (+Domiciliary Services) School Health Immunisation Health Education (+Health Museum) Vaccination for International Travel Port Health Services

Where We Are Coming From? Registration of Births and Deaths Transportation of Corpses Environmental Health – water, sanitation Flood Control – tide gates, bounds Control of Desert Encroachment Waste Management +human waste Food Control Enforcement & Prosecution Public Health Laws

Where We Are Coming From? Health & Disease Surveillance Public Health Policy Building Plan Approval and Control Advise Health Promotion& Disease Prevention Social Welfare Leadership in Public Health Emergencies Training Health Workers Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health

Where We Are Now? Historical roles plus: Non-Communicable Disease Control Mental Health Occupational Health Health Communication

Where We Are Now? Community Mobilisation Nutrition Adolescent Health Monitoring and Evaluation Investigation & Control of Epidemics

Where Have The Roles Led Us? Tackled Bubonic Plague, Yaws, Smallpox Faced Syphilis Flood Tide Gates and Bounds Eliminated Pail System Fought Yellow Fever, Meningitis, Lassa Fever outbreaks Polio Eradication Initiatives etc Fought Ebola

Where Have The Roles Led Us? Have we done enough? Are we doing enough? Is it yet Uhuru? Is it a statement of Ebenezer?

QUO VADIS? Newly Emerging Diseases Re-emerging or Resurging Diseases Deliberately Emerging Diseases Global Health Sustainable Health Financing HMISs Emergency Preparedness The New Challenges!

QUO VADIS? The Leader, the Manager The Planner The M & E Officer The Communicator The Bridge Builder – with sectors, stakeholders, CSOs The Referral System The Annual Report of the MOH MOH Capacities for these?

MOH COMPETENCIES Minimum Competencies need to be set! Basic Medical Degree – clinical competence MPH, MSc, DrPH, FMCPH, FWACPH, PHD? Training and Retraining Personal Development Navigating Political Waters Managing inter cadre Conflicts and Politics Needs to Specialise Further?

CONCLUSION Monitor & assess health of community Planning, implementation & evaluation Team leader Team Manager Communicator Competencies Continuous training Specialisation

Thank you!