Organization of Public Health Systems

Public health consists of a complex of activities of public and private organizations working to protect and promote the health of the population, within laws, regulations, legal precedents, and ethics to ensure individual rights as well as those of society. Elected governments in unitary or federal states have legislative, executive, and judicial functions with taxing and enforcement powers. Unitary countries have two levels of government: national and local; federal states have three: federal, state, and local. Each level has official public health responsibilities. Interaction with governmental, non-governmental, and professional organizations, and the public is vital to successful public health. Higher levels of government have greater tax resources, so cost sharing from state and national levels is essential. Low-income countries generally allocate low levels of funding to health and have weak public health infrastructures. Linkages among prevention, health promotion, and medical care are essential to meet population and individual health targets.