This year marks the fifth celebration of Local Health Authority Day in Germany. The day was established in 2019 by the Robert Koch Institute and has since been celebrated annually on the birthday of Johann Peter Frank (born 19 March 1745). Johann Peter Frank was a doctor and social physician and is considered the founder of the Public Health Service in Germany.
Johann Peter Frank was interested in how the health of the population could be protected and improved and how a state provision of services of general interest could contribute to this. It was clear to him that people’s living conditions influence their health. Even then, data and statistics were an important basis for his findings.
Let’s jump into the 21st century again: Today, we have 375 local health authorities (ÖGD) in Germany that act as advocates for the health of all. Even today, data plays an important role in identifying health problems, managing resources and planning and implementing health promotion and prevention measures in the community.
For this reason, as the Academy of Public Health Services, we are pleased to be a partner in the JoinUs4Health project. We support the participation process in scientific population studies, initiated by JoinUs4Health, by introducing ÖGD-employees to participation opportunities and launching the ÖGD participation process.
Within the framework of four online events, which will take place in the summer of 2023 and the winter of 2023/2024, the cooperation of science and ÖGD-practice will become a reality. The aim is, in the spirit of Johann Peter Frank, to strengthen health equity through new knowledge.