Identify the function of DGHS (Directorate General of Health Services)?

WCL Staff Nurse - 2022

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: WCL Staff Nurse - 2022

Explanation

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) is the principal technical and executive arm of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
A specific function of the DGHS is the management of international health relations and the administration of quarantine services at all major ports and international airports.
This role involves liaising with international agencies like the WHO and preventing the importation of infectious diseases, which is a technical and operational duty.
The DGHS directly controls health organizations at international points of entry to enforce these regulations.

Option A: This is a primary function of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW), which is an advisory body responsible for formulating high-level policy.
Option B: Proposing legislation for medical and public health matters is a function of the CCHFW, not the DGHS. The CCHFW advises the government on legislative needs.
Option C: This function belongs to the CCHFW. It makes recommendations to the Central Government on how to distribute health-related grants to the various states.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Functions of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses, especially in public health settings or at points of entry (airports, seaports), operate under protocols established by the DGHS for screening, isolation, and management of travelers with suspected infectious diseases.
During global health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, the DGHS issues guidelines that nurses and other healthcare workers must follow for infection control, patient management, and vaccination campaigns.
Understanding the role of the DGHS helps nurses appreciate the source of national health programs and technical guidelines they are expected to implement in their practice.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core subject of the question, which is the 'function of DGHS'.
Recall the fundamental nature of the DGHS. It is the technical and executive wing of the Ministry of Health, distinct from policy-making or advisory bodies.
Analyze each option based on this understanding. Options A, B, and C relate to broad policy, legislation, and financial grants, which are characteristic of a high-level advisory council (the CCHFW).
Option D, 'International health relations and Quarantine,' describes a specific, technical, and operational task. This aligns perfectly with the role of an executive body like the DGHS.
Conclude that Option D is the correct function of the DGHS, while the others belong to the CCHFW.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Qt_Ie81ex1dWkFoGKiAY7T

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart B (pp 233-449 of 464) p. 194-196

E6 Textbook of Nursing Management and Leadership I. Clemen — Subpart A (pp 26-327 of 982) p. 5-7