responsibility for control;

communicable disease

assessing environmental threats to human health;

providing leadership in public health emergency situations;

overseeing activities;

health surveillance

providing expert advice on and disease prevention;

health promotion

recommending and developing public .

health policy

The chief public health officer of Canada is the senior health official for the federal government.


In Ontario, one individual is named chief medical officer of health for the province and has powers to issue guidance, to issue provincial orders, and to coordinate public health responses with medical officers of health, who oversee various public health units.[3]


In British Columbia, the provincial health officer is the senior health official for the provincial government.[4]


The roles of the medical officer of health varies across jurisdictions, but always include responsibilities related to public health and safety, and may include the following functions:[5]

India[edit]

In India, a medical officer generally has a minimum of MBBS degree or MD degree from a recognised medical college and university and his/her name is registered in National Medical Council and in a state medical council. They are posted mainly at primary health centre and community health centres.

Environmental health officer

National public health institutes

Ashton J (1989). (PDF). Health Promotion. 3 (4): 413–419. doi:10.1093/heapro/3.4.413. PMC 1711372. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-07-10.

"Recalling the Medical Officer of Health"

American Association of Public Health Physicians