“In developing nations, due to lack of Public Health framework there are health inequalities and related issues. In order to act upon these public health issues, there should be a multi-sectoral approach involving stakeholders and professionals with common perspectives.”

Dr. Ketki Joshi
Research Assistant, PUBLIC HEALTH FOUNDATION OF INDIA

Meet Dr. Ketki Joshi, our Public Health Insight Community Star! Dr. Joshi is associated with Public Health Foundation of India as a Research Assistant, working on a UNICEF funded project “e-GARIMA” to capacitate adolescents and youth to change behaviors on health, nutrition and gender-based components in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

In this post, Dr. Ketki shares her passion for public health by providing responses to the following questions:

What does public health mean to you?

Currently, we are in the midst of a global pandemic and we all have seen the importance of public health. Public health is an interdisciplinary field where an interactive collaboration between different disciplines helps in finding evidence-based solutions. To me, Public Health is all about the 3 Ps- Preventing disease, Promoting health and Prolonging life.

There are many public health concerns such as malnutrition, climate change, increasing chronic diseases, re-emergence of infectious diseases. Public health professionals try to prevent the problem by analyzing determinants of health, educating people, forming robust policies and implementing them.

What work do you do in public health?

I am associated with Public Health Foundation of India as a Research Assistant. At present, I am working on a UNICEF-funded project “e-GARIMA” to capacitate adolescents and youth to change behaviours on health, nutrition and gender-based components in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Previously, I was involved in WHO GAP analysis on “Climate change and Health”.

What is your public health message?

It is rightly said that “Prevention is better than cure” which means reducing the chances of problems from arising in the first place by promoting healthy behavior. Public Health is beyond just treating patients, it is about preventing disease and improving community health and well-being.

In developing nations, due to the lack of Public Health framework, there are health inequalities and related issues. In order to act upon these public health issues, there should be a multi-sectoral approach involving stakeholders and professionals with common perspectives.