Health department

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A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their own. Health departments perform food licensing and food inspection (the person who performs this job is often called a Health Inspector), vaccination programs, free STD and HIV tests, and other medical assistance. Health departments also compile statistics about health issues of their area. In 1986, several of the worlds' national health departments met to establish an international guideline by which health departments operate. The meeting was in Ottawa, Canada, and hence the guidelines established are known as the Ottawa Charter. The Ottawa Charter was designed to ‘achieve Health for All’.

"Health department" can also refer to a university health department.

[edit] Health departments around the world

[edit] National

Most executive governments in the world are divided into departments or ministries. In most such cases, there is a department responsible for health. Some examples:

Afghanistan - Afghan Ministry of Public Health
Australia - Department of Health and Ageing
Canada - Health Canada
People's Republic of China
- Mainland China - Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China
- Hong Kong - Food and Health Bureau and Department of Health
- Macau - Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture (Macau)
Ireland - Department of Health and Children
New Zealand - Ministry of Health, previously the Department of Health
Philippines - Department of Health
Singapore - Ministry of Health
South Africa South African Department of Health
South Korea the National Health Insurance Corporation
United Kingdom: Department of Health
- Northern Ireland - Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
- Scotland - Scottish Government Health Department
- Wales - Department of Health and Social Services^[1]
Republic of China (Taiwan) - Department of Health
United States - United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

[edit] Sub-national

All U.S. states have a state health department. Counties and cities may also have a department of health; in highly-populated jurisdictions this department's role may be very significant, e.g. the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Subnational entities in other countries, such as the states of Australia, also have their own health departments.