The challenges to public health in Hungary in the twenty-first century

Abstract

The creation of a new school of public health in Hungary offers an opportunity to reassess existing approaches to postgraduate training in public health. This paper describes the philosophy behind the training programme that will be offered by the school. It seeks to equip this new generation with the skills to assess the health needs of the Hungarian population and to design and implement effective policies to meet these needs. The task of the school will not be easy. It will have to confront strong vested interests. This is illustrated in the paper by a discussion of the activities of the tobacco industry. Finally, they must be able to base their activities on up-to-date, research-based evidence. The wide diversity of skills that will be needed to address the health needs of the Hungarian population justifies this new, multidisciplinary approach in which alliances will be forged with all agencies that have the power to contribute to improving health.