Avicenna, a renowned Persian Muslim scientist has written numerous scientific papers and valuable medical books that are respected worldwide. For centuries his masterpiece, the "Canon of Medicine", has been used as a major medical reference. The Canon, as a prime encyclopedia on medicine is comprised of five books. In the introduction to the Canon, Avicenna has described the purpose of medicine as the preservation of health if it is already attained and its restoration when it is lost. He defines health as a trait or state, which results in the normal functioning of the human body and presumes that health is a steady state, whilst disease is more of a variable concept. Thus whenever we depart from a healthy state, we approach disease. A comparison of current views regarding definitions of health, disease and their components as defined by Avicenna could open new horizons for ancient, traditional medicine. The Canon contains numerous implications concerning the infrastructures of public health-related issues. For example the specifications of healthy water and air are well described in the "Canon of Medicine". To enable a better understanding of Avicenna's viewpoints about public health, we have briefly reviewed his perspective on the topics of health, disease, and environmental sanitation concerning water and air.

Dear Editor-in-Chief In developing countries, progress towards agricultural goals is paramount; and thus farmworkers are one of the most important human resources in each community. In Iran, farming is a highly important foundation in the lives of people, and farmers have an essential role in the country’ s socioeconomic growth (1). In 2015, more than 18% of employees (approximately 4 million people) in Iran were working in the agricultural sector (2)...

The aim of this study is to map the chronological achievements of public health over the past 100 years in a small island state and to outline emerging themes. A retrospective analysis of data was conducted from the published population and vital statistics reports of the Central Statistical Office for the period of 1953-2006, as well as all available published reports of the Ministry of health. Data were also collected from the published reports of the Registrar General for the period of 1944-52. The study demonstrated the sequence in which diseases of public health importance were eliminated; these included hookworm, smallpox, malaria, cholera, typhoid, yellow fever and the vaccine preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. In addition, for the first time the mumps epidemic of 2000-2003 was identified. While much has been achieved over the past 100 years particularly with regard to infectious diseases, many challenges stand ahead. Hence, a highly trained and skilled PH workforce is required to confront a changing healthcare landscape, epidemics, rising expectations from clients, as well as to tackle key determinants of health.