Communicable disease control and the surveillance of public health statistics are critical components of public health programs used in the control and management of communicable disease. The information obtained is used in developing and prioritizing the community's health needs, determining appropriate responses to disease outbreaks, and in program evaluation. The district continues to improve its capability to monitor reportable diseases and health statistics of the community. Area physicians, hospitals, and laboratories are required by law to report certain communicable diseases to the Director of Health. The Director of Health is then required to investigate the
extent of those illnesses and apply control measures when appropriate.
The role of public health is to:
l Protect against preventable communicable diseases
l Identify and control outbreaks of infectious diseases
l Identify and control community wide patterns of chronic disease and injury
l Inform and educate consumers and providers about preventing and controlling disease and the appropriate use of medical services,
l Defining and validating new prevention and control interventions
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