The General Directorate of Public Health is the body that culminates the organic structure in public health and is composed of the Central Services and 16 centers throughout the Valencian Community. The centers and public health professionals work on the design, development, implementation and evaluation of health programs.
It carries out functions in the field of:
Prevention, protection and promotion of health;
Epidemiological surveillance and control;
Drug addiction and other addictions;
Food safety
Actions are carried out that guarantee the health of the population through strategies framed in the concept of “One Health”. This strategic approach establishes the bases of health policies, which are grouped into 3 lines of action: firstly, addressing health from a transversal and equitable perspective, encouraging citizen participation; secondly, promoting healthy and safe environments by promoting behaviors that lead to an active and autonomous experience throughout the life cycle and especially in aging; and finally, to enhance the plasticity and solidity of public health and, at the same time, of the health system.
To achieve maximum effectiveness and impact of these programs, Public Health works in direct collaboration with other health areas of healthcare services of the Ministry of Health, with other departments of the Administration in matters of education, environment or work, with local entities and with the social fabric and groups.