Description

In this article the status of public health and the training of public health practitioners in the Republic of Ireland are described. The major causes of mortality are cardiovascular disease, cancer and accidents. The existing and new national policies on primary prevention of these, the introduction of screening for breast and cervical cancer and strategies for rationalisation and improvement of treatment are discussed. There have been several new developments in the area of surveillance in the Republic of Ireland and these are documented. A major advance in public health in this country occurred in 1995 when regional Departments of Public Health were established in each health board. The higher specialist training of doctors in public health medicine is described, in addition to an outline of opportunities for training and working in public health practitioners from abroad.