සිංහලEarly Beginnings
The present Health Promotion Bureau was named Health Education Bureau before the year 2017.
The Health Education services in the country date back to the mid-twentieth century. In the initial stages, it functioned as a small unit of the public health section of the Department of Health Services and consisted of two units:
- One at the Head Office manned by a sociologist designated as the Chief Health Education Officer, a Health Education Officer, and two Publicity Officers.
- The other unit was the Health Education Material Production Unit (HEMPU), manned by a trained Public Health Inspector.
The main focus was the prevention of common communicable diseases prevalent at that time, such as malaria, worm infestations, diarrheal diseases, and typhoid fever, through public meetings and the distribution of public health material such as posters, leaflets, and brochures. The newsletter “Sapatha” began its publications in the 1950s and was useful to enhance the knowledge of health workers.
Development of District-Level Units
In the following years, the service expanded its reach by establishing District-Level Health Education Units. A trained Public Health Inspector was designated as a Health Educator in each district. They were equipped with vehicles containing audio-visual equipment, such as projectors and loudspeakers, enabling better engagement at the district level. Key responsibilities included
- Health awareness campaigns in communities
- Providing field health staff with educational materials and guidance.
The Mid-1970s, Reorganization and Expansion
A major reorganization occurred in the mid-1970s with the appointment of a full-time Medical Officer to oversee the Health Education Unit. This Medical Officer had postgraduate qualifications in Health Education, marking a significant step forward in the professionalization of the services. Key changes included:
- Merging of Units: The Central Unit and HEMPU were combined into a single Health Education Division under the Ministry of Health.
- Director of Health Education: A Director was appointed to oversee health education and publicity, supported by a growing team of professionals.
Support from UN agencies and Development Partners
With the support of the World Health Organization, the organization rapidly developed into a fully-fledged bureau similar to the Family Health Bureau. The staff at the Health Education Bureau (HEB) expanded to:
- A full-time Director
- Four Medical Officers
- One Dental Surgeon (all with postgraduate qualifications in Health Education)
- Five Health Education Officers (with postgraduate Diplomas in Health Education)
- Two Publicity Officers with postgraduate qualifications, in charge of the mass media program.
Transition to Health Promotion Bureau
The rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), other emerging lifestyle-related disorders, and the threat of epidemics of communicable diseases identified the need to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate efficient health promotion strategies. This led to the upgrading of the Health Education Bureau to the Health Promotion Bureau.
Furthermore, twelve specialized Units were established to effectively implement the strategies identified in the National Health Promotion Policy.
