The main focus of health promotion is to remove the negative impacts on health. Its main aim is to develop public policies that are healthy, develop healthy environments, as well as increase personal resilience. Health promotion is a philosophy that supports individuals and communities to be able to be in control of their own health. Health promotion is also a combination of political, economic and organizational interventions together with health education so as to facilitate and promote environmental and behavioral changes that are conducive to health (Yarnell & O’Reilly, 2013).
Health promotion plans may include specific action plans or interventions which are incorporated in a much more detailed plan which may incorporate lifestyle and environment changes. Promoting healthy lifestyles and environments using a health promotion intervention/plan is the primary contributor of disease prevention. The secondary effect of health promotion programs is to encourage people to take responsibility of their own health. Rather than relying on available therapy or treatment for disease once it develops, health promotion addresses issues such as the cause of the diseases as well as how to mitigate against the diseases.
Disease prevention deals with activities that keep away disease. Disease prevention is usually carried out by government agencies and public health departments. It involves activities like vaccination, ensuring that water is safe for drinking, proper sanitation, etc. (Yarnell & O’Reilly, 2013).
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Liberia is currently facing a major outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus. There is need for quick intervention to be able to minimize the effects of this deadly disease. The virus is recorded to be fatal in 25% to 90% of the infected victims. The disease is transmitted through sexual contact, blood, sweat, direct handling of infected corpses and faeces. The health promotion and disease prevention plan in Liberia would be to as outlined below.
Find out the causes of the Ebola virus, trace the contact trail, ensure proper disinfection as well as corpse management
Offering psychosocial support for those coping with loss and grief
Enhance clinical management of reported cases including offering support in isolation
Contributing to the epidemiological investigations and control measures that are set up.
Providing health education and awareness of the disease to the population so as to reduce stigma and create awareness.
The overall objective of the plan is to reduce the morbidity and mortality that is as a result of the Ebola virus through the guidelines indicated above.
In the case of Liberia, the theory that is most applicable in health promotion is the health belief model. Under this theory, people adapt the recommended activities or behavior change when the severity of the perceived threat together with the benefits of taking action must be greater than the perceived limitations to take action. In the case of Iberia, the Ebola virus is perceived to pose a very great threat, death, to the population. The alternative of taking action as compared to do nothing far outweighs any perceived limitations to actually take responsibility and do something about it.
The plan described above is feasible and very practical as it requires personal contribution which shouldn’t be hard to do as well as the government intervention in areas such as health education. The only disadvantage is the nature of the disease as there has been no cure yet and as such areas that are not addressed adequately may provide loopholes which may lead to fatalities.
The main sources of healthcare financing would be from the government together with other aid organizations like the Red Cross Society, which is already present in Liberia. Also due to the emergency nature of the plan, aid and grants would be the most practical source of financing.
