STRENGTHENING THE NEW PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH HEALTH PROMOTION FOUNDATIONS

A well-known and commonly accepted definition of public health is provided by the landmark "Acheson Report" (1988) which reported on public health in England. It defined public health as "the science and art of promoting health, preventing disease, and prolonging life through the organized efforts of society". Public health is a social and political concept aimed at improving health, prolonging life and improving the quality of life among the whole population through health promotion, disease prevention and other forms of health intervention2. From these two definitions, it can be deduced that health promotion is central to public health as a key strategy and intervention to achieve the aims of public health.