Department of Community Medicine & School of Public Health

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) was established in 1962 which was later declared as an “Institute of National Importance” by an act of parliament on 1st April 1967 when the administrative control was passed on to an autonomous body. The Institute endeavors to produce specialists in the field of medicine and public health, and to provide the best health care, teaching and research facilities. The Department of Community Medicine was formally founded in 1977 with the dual purpose of evolving a feasible pattern of health service delivery to the rural people and for providing community health orientation to the resident doctors of the institute. To address the emerging challenges in Public Health Education and Research, Community Medicine Department was upgraded to a School of Public Health in the Tenth Five Year Plan (2002-06).

Department of Community Medicine & School of Public Health is making concerted effort to achieve continuing and long-term student involvement in community health work. The faculty tries to expand the values, attitude and ethical orientation of the students to have commitment to service of those in greatest need. Department of Community Medicine & School of Public Health aims to conduct postgraduate teaching programs and short term training courses in various fields of public health for national health programs managers, to provide consultancy services to state and central health services on public health matters, and to carry out research by setting up model public health projects keeping in view national health policy guidelines and vision of health for all in 21st century. There are seventeen faculty members, who specialize in community medicine, health promotion, epidemiology, health management, environment health and health economics

Health Economics is one of the sub-specialties within the Department of Community Medicine & School of Public Health whose faculty is engaged in capacity building of health care professionals and conducting high-impact policy relevant economic analysis for health care programs and policies. As part of the capacity building, we have two units teaching each in Health Economics and Health Policy for the Masters in Public Health students, besides regular classes for the students of Doctorate of Medicine (MD) in Community Medicine. We had conducted one week training on Cost Effectiveness Analysis in Health Care to enhance competencies of health professionals with use of economic principles. We were also instrumental in the development of Health Technology Assessment Course in India coordinated by National Health Resource Centre, New Delhi. We also provide training to health care managers on resource mobilization and budget preparation during the management capacity building training of mid-level managers.