Introduction

The Public Health Department at the University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore, stands as a distinguished academic and research institution committed to advancing public health through education, research, and community engagement. Central to its mission is addressing the critical challenges of disease prevention, control, health promotion and health systems development, intervention, monitoring, evaluation, quality care management and health systems strengthening. Public health is not merely about managing diseases upon presentation but encompasses proactive measures to reduce the disease burden through preventive and promotive activities, supported by dynamic and evidence-based policy adjustments. Achieving these objectives necessitates generating scholarly knowledge and effectively disseminating it to communities for meaningful impact.
The role of public health in driving economic prosperity is widely recognized. A healthier population underpins economic development by improving productivity and reducing poverty risks. Research demonstrates that investing an additional $1 per capita in health yields an estimated threefold return, underscoring the significance of public health interventions in achieving sustainable development. The Public Health Department provides tools and frameworks to set realistic goals while assessing trade-offs, ensuring efficient allocation of resources for maximum societal benefit.
Pakistan faces a critical shortage of public health professionals, with analyses indicating the need to train approximately 5,000 specialists annually to meet the demands of an evolving health system. This need highlights the urgency of building capacity through rigorous academic programs and research initiatives. In response, the Public Health Department at UHS offers an extensive undergraduate program tailored to various disciplines within public health. These programs aim to develop skilled professionals equipped to address national and global health challenges through innovative solutions and evidence-based approaches.
The department fosters academic excellence by delivering robust curricula that emphasize interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking, and practical application. Its programs cover key areas such as epidemiology, biostatistics, health systems management, environmental health, and health policy. Through a combination of classroom instruction, research, and hands-on training, the department prepares students to become leaders in the field, capable of addressing contemporary health challenges with competence and innovation.
Research and innovation are integral to the department's mission. It prioritizes producing high-quality research in critical areas, including communicable and non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and health equity. Collaborations with national and international institutions enable the department to generate actionable insights that directly influence health policies and improve population health outcomes. The research agenda is designed to bridge knowledge gaps and provide solutions to pressing health issues, ensuring that academic outputs translate into real-world impact.
Community engagement forms a cornerstone of the department's activities. By partnering with governmental and non-governmental organizations, it delivers impactful public health interventions such as vaccination drives, health promotion campaigns, and disaster preparedness initiatives. A strong focus on underserved and vulnerable populations ensures that efforts are equitable and inclusive, addressing the needs of communities most in need.
In addition to its role in education and research, the department is a key contributor to policy development and advocacy. Policy engagement reflects the department’s broader mission to effect systemic change and improve health outcomes across populations.
The department is supported by state-of-the-art facilities, including community based activities, a comprehensive library, and modern research tools. These resources create an environment conducive to academic rigor and professional excellence, empowering students and researchers to achieve their full potential.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Public Health at University of Health Sciences, Lahore, is to contribute towards the improvement of health status of human population. The Department through its research and development program strives to acquire and disseminate knowledge regarding health promotion, control of communicable and non-communicable diseases and understanding health systems.

This will be brought about through education and research for the scientific development of health policies, translation of policies into feasible action plans and executing such plans.

Vision Statement

The Department envisages becoming an academic center of excellence in public health teaching and training, capacity building and policy advice. It will strive to acquire methods to propagate knowledge that will become a benchmark in Public Health Education both nationally and internationally.

Goal

The goal is to improve the health of the population through enhancing human resource development and improving the health-related policy through research and practices.

Objectives

The objectives of the Department are to:

• Produce competent, committed and skilled public health professionals.
• Assist in the translation of the knowledge into sound evidence-based policies and practices. Prepare leadership in public health.
• Develop, administer and evaluate health policies and programmes.
• Participate directly in efforts to improve the health of the community using community-based and health systems’ assessment of preventive/curative services.
• Conduct basic and applied research relevant to the description, risk factors and interventions for the resolution of health problems in the human populations.
• These objectives will be appreciated through developing values such as a merit-based system, transparency, assuring quality through a team network and providing sustainable departmental infrastructure.