Role of MOH as a grassroots public health manager in preparedness and response for COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka

Pandemic transmission of COVID-19 virus warranted activation of public health responses in all countries. Public health unit system of Sri Lanka (also known as the Medical Officer of Health unit system) managed by a medical doctor with special training in public health, the Medical officer of Health...

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Main Authors: Pamila Sadeeka Adikari, KGRV Pathirathna, WKWS Kumarawansa, PD Koggalage
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIMS Press 2020-09-01
Series:AIMS Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.aimspress.com/article/10.3934/publichealth.2020048/fulltext.html
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author Pamila Sadeeka Adikari
KGRV Pathirathna
WKWS Kumarawansa
PD Koggalage
author_facet Pamila Sadeeka Adikari
KGRV Pathirathna
WKWS Kumarawansa
PD Koggalage
author_sort Pamila Sadeeka Adikari
collection DOAJ
description Pandemic transmission of COVID-19 virus warranted activation of public health responses in all countries. Public health unit system of Sri Lanka (also known as the Medical Officer of Health unit system) managed by a medical doctor with special training in public health, the Medical officer of Health (MOH), with a team of grassroots field staff who are well aware of the community and supported by a network of infrastructure. The aim of the study was to describe the managerial role of the MOH as a grassroots public health manager in the preparedness and response for COVID-19 pandemic. The research team studied the key documents communicated to MOH by the national authorities. The study revealed, national level authorities used the MOH to implement COVID-19 control and preventive decisions through their technical and managerial directives. MOH unit earned trustworthiness in the community due to their deep-rooted ground level operations. Further, MOH system possess deep understanding and extensive connectivity with the community. Therefore, implementation of rigid prevention and control measures was well facilitated within the assigned geographical public health unit area.
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spelling doaj.art-c73e484bd0404905b6fa36925bd962e62022-12-21T19:34:39ZengAIMS PressAIMS Public Health2327-89942020-09-017360661910.3934/publichealth.2020048Role of MOH as a grassroots public health manager in preparedness and response for COVID-19 pandemic in Sri LankaPamila Sadeeka Adikari0KGRV Pathirathna1WKWS Kumarawansa2PD Koggalage3Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, Colombo, Sri LankaMinistry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, Colombo, Sri LankaMinistry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, Colombo, Sri LankaMinistry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, Colombo, Sri LankaPandemic transmission of COVID-19 virus warranted activation of public health responses in all countries. Public health unit system of Sri Lanka (also known as the Medical Officer of Health unit system) managed by a medical doctor with special training in public health, the Medical officer of Health (MOH), with a team of grassroots field staff who are well aware of the community and supported by a network of infrastructure. The aim of the study was to describe the managerial role of the MOH as a grassroots public health manager in the preparedness and response for COVID-19 pandemic. The research team studied the key documents communicated to MOH by the national authorities. The study revealed, national level authorities used the MOH to implement COVID-19 control and preventive decisions through their technical and managerial directives. MOH unit earned trustworthiness in the community due to their deep-rooted ground level operations. Further, MOH system possess deep understanding and extensive connectivity with the community. Therefore, implementation of rigid prevention and control measures was well facilitated within the assigned geographical public health unit area.https://www.aimspress.com/article/10.3934/publichealth.2020048/fulltext.htmlcovid-19medical officer of healthpandemicsprevention and controlpublic health
spellingShingle Pamila Sadeeka Adikari
KGRV Pathirathna
WKWS Kumarawansa
PD Koggalage
Role of MOH as a grassroots public health manager in preparedness and response for COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
AIMS Public Health
covid-19
medical officer of health
pandemics
prevention and control
public health
title Role of MOH as a grassroots public health manager in preparedness and response for COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
title_full Role of MOH as a grassroots public health manager in preparedness and response for COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
title_fullStr Role of MOH as a grassroots public health manager in preparedness and response for COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
title_full_unstemmed Role of MOH as a grassroots public health manager in preparedness and response for COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
title_short Role of MOH as a grassroots public health manager in preparedness and response for COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka
title_sort role of moh as a grassroots public health manager in preparedness and response for covid 19 pandemic in sri lanka
topic covid-19
medical officer of health
pandemics
prevention and control
public health
url https://www.aimspress.com/article/10.3934/publichealth.2020048/fulltext.html
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AT wkwskumarawansa roleofmohasagrassrootspublichealthmanagerinpreparednessandresponseforcovid19pandemicinsrilanka
AT pdkoggalage roleofmohasagrassrootspublichealthmanagerinpreparednessandresponseforcovid19pandemicinsrilanka