ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON THE SPREAD AND CONTROL OF DISEASES PART 1

Major Public Health Strategies for Communicable Disease Control

The main public health strategies to control communicable diseases include all measures designed to prevent or reduce the incidence, prevalence and consequences of disease (WHO 1984). These measures are included in primary health care and involve participation of community, support from different government, public and private sectors and coordination between these sectors (WHO 1978). The control measures are directed against reservoir or sounce of infection, the root of transmission and susceptible host ( people at risk).

i) Controlling Reservoir of Infection.

It includes early diagnosis or detection of cases or carriers, notification of disease, isolation, treatment and quarantine.

ii) Interrupting Transmission of Disease.

This is done by interrupting direct transmission and indirect transmission of infective agent from patient and carrier to susceptible host by changing some part of man’s environment. The public health strategies to achieve this includes clean water supply, improving sanitation, proper cooking and refrigeration, improving personal hygiene, controlling vectors and proper handling of secretions and excretions of humans and animals.

iii) Protection of Susceptible Host or Patient at Risk

This includes active immunization, passive immunization, combination of active and passive immunization and prophylaxis by drugs.

iv) Other measures that have interrupted transmission of many diseases in developed countries include legislation for integrated and effective public health