Celebration of the 50th anniversary of the School of Public Health of the University of Chile Celebración del 50 aniversario de la Escuela de Salud Pública de la Universidad de Chile.

Abstract

The joined initiative of the University of Chile, the Health institutions, the Bacteriological Institute and the Rockefeller Foundation support allowed the creation of the School of Public Health. A group of skilled and talented young specialists gave rise to the School, as an expression of the need to refurbish the medical care of the forties. The aim of the School was to communicate the scientific basis of sanitary practice, to study national problems and to group people that can contribute to improve the health status of the country. During fifty years, the number of Chilean and foreign students expanded considerably. During these five decades the School has trained 1588 specialists (459 foreigners) in Public Health. The School was awarded by WHO in 1988 in recognition of its outstanding contributions to Public Health. It is difficult to make adequate decisions at the present time, due to the complexity of Chilean health situation, that is going through an epidemiological and demogr