A district health officer is beginning the annual planning cycle for malaria control. According to the standard planning cycle described in Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, what is the correct FIRST step?
- A Setting priorities among health problems
- B Situational analysis ✓
- C Formulating goals and objectives
- D Fixing targets and writing the plan
Correct answer: B. Situational analysis
Explanation
The planning cycle begins with situational analysis, a systematic collection and review of past and present data on the community, its health problems, and existing services. Only after this baseline assessment can problems be prioritised, goals set, and targets fixed. Students who jump straight to prioritising miss that priorities themselves can only be rationally assigned after the situation has been analysed.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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