| Every health-related act comprises three elements: the preventive, the curative, and the educative. Proportions of each element vary - although a surgical procedure is primarily preventive or curative, its success may depend on the patient's knowing why the procedure was ncessary, what precipitated it, and what activities might undo the cure. Every health worker, then, should be a health educator, and his training must prepare him for that role. To this end it is recommended that a health education service be set up at the ministry level, administered by a professional who has the equivalent of a master's degree in public health and has specialized in health education. He will ensure (1)that training prepares health staff for their educative tasks; (2)that planning for education is incorporated in plans for health campaigns; (3)that extragovernmental agencies provide health education within their health services; (4)that visual aids are pretested and continually reevaluated; (5)that health education is based on applied studies and research into a population's education, beliefs, habits, culture, etc.; and (6)that expert educational advice is available in emergencies. |