History of Public Health Nursing

SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD (1577-1898)

1577- Franciscan Friar Juan Clemente established a medical dispensary in

Intramuros to provide care for the indigent, marking one of the first recorded

healthcare efforts.

1690 - Efforts toward sanitation and public health began when Dominican

Father Juan de Pergero worked on Installing a water system in San Juan del

Monte and Manila.

1805 - Smallpox vaccination was introduced in the Philippines by Francisco de Balmis, a Spanish physician who was the personal doctor of King Charles IV of Spain.

1876 - The Spanish colonial government appointed the first medicos titulares,

which were official medical officers designated to provide healthcare.

1888 - The University of Santo Tomas offered the first medical and dental

courses, producing cirujanos ministrantes, who served as male nurses and

sanitation inspectors.

AMERICAN COLONIAL PERIOD (1898-1946)

1901 - The United States Philippine Commission created the Board of Health of the Philippine Islands (now the Department of Health) to oversee public health initiatives

1905 - The Lagota de Leche center, established by the Asociacion Feminista

Filipina, became the first facility dedicated to serving mothers and babies.

1912 (Fajardo Act) - Sanitary divisions were created, grouping municipalities

for better public health administration, each led by a physician.

1915 - The Philippine General Hospital extended public health nursing services by organizing Social and Home Care Services, bringing healthcare to people's home

POST-INDEPENDENCE ERA (1946-PRESENT)

1947 - The Department of Health was reorganized into different bureaus,

overseeing quarantine, hospitals, municipal and charity clinics, and sanitary divisions

1954 (Rural Health Act - RA 1082) - Congress mandated the creation of a Rural Health Unit (RHU) in every municipality to expand healthcare services to rural areas

1957 (RA 1891) - Amended the Rural Health Act by categorizing RHUs based on population sizes to optimize healthcare distribution.

1991 (RA 7160 - Local Government Code) - The health system was

decentralized, transferring health service responsibilities to local government

units and establishing local health boards.