A Public Health Professional’s Cloud of Thoughts

Abstract

This article is written with the intention of listing ideas regarding the state of public health in our country, sharing issues and concerns that have been sometimes discussed with colleagues, provoking qualified discussions among individuals with different perspectives, and ultimately contributing to public health practices in our country. The current situation has been evaluated in terms of public health as a scientific discipline, its operational role, and public health professionals. After briefly reviewing these elements, the prominent needs and gaps are identified as the lack of a deeply explored contemporary public health philosophy specific to our country, limited presence in global health discussions, the underdeveloped social components of public health in the current academic design, the mismatch of specialty training with field needs, the Ministry of Health not defining the need for and role of specialized public health workforce, and the lack of data and evidence-based decision-making processes in public health services with an epidemiological approach in the field. It is suggested that one of the critical decisions the Ministry of Health could make in the new period is to transition to a policy that is aware of the public health needs of the country and addresses the social components of health.