HISTORY OF PUBLIC HEALTH

PREHISTORIC ERA
- Diseases are caused by supernatural or divine act
- cursed or punished by deity
- Natural healers are called “shaman”
HIPPOCRATES- the Father of Medicine
- “Professionalism” of medicine and divorcing it from religious
ritual and supernatural.
- Diseases develop because of our environment and not because of
some form of divine act.
- Acute, chronic, endemic, epidemic, paroxysms, exacerbation
The Black Plague “Bubonic Plague”
- Most notorious epidemic
- Killing one third of Europe’s population over the span of 5 years
- Caused by bacteria Yersinia pestis (flea bites)
Leprosy
- Leper houses ( leprosarias)
- Quarantine method
GIROLAMO FRACASTORO
- Introduced the concept of “fomite” which could be a vehicle
carrying pathogens.
ANDREAS VESALIUS
- Wrote “ On The Structure of the Human Body”
ANTON VAN LEEWEENHOEK
- Father of Microscopy
The Colonial Period
- Smallpox virus
- Syphilis
CHARLES LOUIS LAVERAN
- Discovered parasites in the blood of the patients suffering from
Malaria
- Ronald Ross later discovered malarial parasites could be
transmitted by mosquitoes.
EDWARD JENNER
- Father of Immunology
 - Vaccination or immunization
- Coined the term vaccine from the word “vacca” or “cow”
DR. JOHN SNOW
- Cholera outbreak (1831)
- Studied how cholera was transmitted by tracing the source(water
pump)
- Father of Epidemiology
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE
- Professionalization of nurses
ROBERT KOCH
- “ Koch’s Postulate”
- One of the main founders of modern bacteriology
- Discovered causative agents of tuberculosis, cholera, anthrax
LOUIS PASTEUR
- “pasteurization” killing of bacteria in milk
- Challenged the concept of spontaneous regeneration.
- Fermentation, inoculation of vaccine against rabies
JONAS SALK AND ALBERT SABIN
- Penicillin
- Development of polio vaccine
1976- Peter Piot discovered the Ebola Virus
1977- Smallpox was eradicated
1978- Declaration of Primary Health Care

PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH THE YEARS IN THE PHILIPPINES

BEFORE 1898- pre- Spanish period
- traditional ways of healing were widely used (herbs and rituals)
- 1577, Fr. Juan Clemente established a dispensary for Manila
indigents.
- 1659, the dispensary became the San Juan de Dios Hospital
- American instituted 13 hospitals and intensified public health work
with the creation of Central Board of Vaccination and Board of
Health and Charity
- “MEDICOS TITULARES” which corresponds to today’s
provincial health workers.
JUNE 23, 1898
- Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo formally proclaimed the Dept. of Public
Works, Education, and Hygiene. *not continued*
GENERAL ORDER NO.15- Americans created a Board of Health for the City of
Manila.
SEPTEMBER 29, 1898
- Dr. T.H Pardo De Tavera, Dr. Aristone Bautista Lim together with
3 American surgeons (Provisional Board).
AUGUST 26, 1899
- Board of Health was abolished while Dr. Guy Edie was appointed
as the first Commissioner of Health
- Registration of births, deaths and marriages began.
JULY 01, 1901
- Phil. Commission created the Board of Health which served as the
local board through Act. No. 157
1905
- Insular Board of Health were abolished and replaced by the Bureau
of Health through Act. No. 1407
- Dr. Victor Heiser was the first director.

1912
- Act. No. 2156 of 1912, also referred to as “Fajardo Act”
consolidate municipalities into sanitary divisions and instigated
todays “Health Fund”
1915
- The Bureau of Health renamed into Philippine Health Service and
later reverted to its previous name.
- Dr. Vicente De Jesus, first Filipino Director of Heath.
1932
- The Reorganization Act of 1932 or Act No. 4007 created the office
of the Commissioner of Health and Public Welfare with Dr.
Basilio J. Valdez as its first Commissioner.
OCTOBER 1947
 - E.O No. 94 regulated reorganization in the Dept. of Public Health
and Welfare
- Dept. was then called Department Of Health
1969
- Republic Act. No. 6111 or so called Philippine Medical Care Act.
Of 1969 authorized hospitalization, surgical and medical expense
benefits for the people.
1970
- Health services were classified into primary, secondary and tertiary
level through the Restructured Health Care Delivery System.
1972
- Onset of Martial law, DOH was renamed to Ministry Of Health
- Dr. Clemente Gatmaitan
1982
- EO No. 851, Integrated Provincial Health Office was created
1986-1987
- The Ministry of Health regain its former name Department of
Health

1991-1993
- Local Government Code of 1991 was fully implemented.
- Health projects were intensified.
- “ Doctors to the Barrios Program”
- “Let’s DOH it”
1999
- “National Health Insurance Program” expand.

2000
- Health Sector Reform Agenda (HSRA), the major framework for
health policies and investments was institutionalized.
July 13, 2001
- Sec. Manuel Dayrit signed the A.O 37 stating the guidelines on the
HSRA implementation plan.
2003
- One-Script Systems Improvement Program (A.O 50) was
established to unify, synchronized and target priority public health
program.
2005
- Formula ONE for Health (F1) was launched as a blueprint of
reform implementation aiming for a more responsive health
system, more equitable health financing and better health
outcomes.
2006
- DOH received both national and international recognition from the
Presidential Anti- Graft and Corruption(PAGC)
2008
- The Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health and Nutrition Strategy
(MNCHN) was pursued to address maternal and neonatal.
- R.A No. 9502
2010
- Dr. Enrique T. Ona as the new Health Secretary
- New platform “ universal health care” UHC
- “PHILHEALTH SABADO” launched o October 2, 2010
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH “KAGAWARAN NG KALUSUGAN”
HEADQUARTERS: San Lazaro Compound, Rizal Avenue, Santa Cruz, Manila
ANNUAL BUDGET: 296.3B (2023)
DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVE:
DOH- responsible for ensuring access to basic public health services through the
provision of quality health care and the regulation of all health services and
products. It’s the governments over all technical authority on health
MAJOR ROLES IN HEALTH SECTOR
1. Leadership in health
2. Enabler and capacity builder
3. Administrator of specific services
DOH VALUES OF WORK
1. Integrity- upholding truth and pursuing honesty, accountability, and
consistency in performing its function.
 2. Excellence- strive for the best by fostering innovation, effectiveness and
efficiency, pro action, dynamism and openness to change.
3. Compassion and respect for human dignity- while DOH upholds the quality
of life, respect for human dignity is encouraged by working with sympathy
and benevolence for the people in need.
4. Commitment- commits to achieve its vision for the health and development
of future generations.
5. Professionalism- performs its function in accordance with the highest ethical
standards, principles of accountability and full responsibility.
6. Teamwork – DOH employees work together with a result oriented mindset.
7. Stewardship of the health of the people- the dept. shall pursue sustainable
development and care for the environment since it impinges on the health of
the Filipinos.
VISION AND MISSION
Vision by 2030
- A global leader for attaining better health outcomes, competitive
and responsive health care system and equitable heath financing.

Mission
- To guarantee equitable , sustainable and quality health for all
Filipinos, especially the poor and to lead the quest for excellence in
health