The government has power and duty of safeguarding the health of the public for various reasons. A myriad of questions prevail as to the ideal role the government plays in acting toward public health. In the perspective of the law and the public, the core function of the government is to safeguard public health and safety (Vadi, 2013) . Initiatives of public health entail promoting open and free information for fostering knowledgeable decision making, safeguard people from harm by other groups and persons, and enforce societal action to protect and promote health (Bernheim et al., 2013). Thus, the paper discusses why the government has the power and duty to safeguard the health of the public.
The government needs to facilitate open and free communication to empower individuals to make knowledgeable choices and minimizes chances of hidden information or misinformation that would endanger health (Shi & Johnson, 2013) . The government institutes laws that demand information disclosure based on facts (such as product content), enforce transparency (information freedom), and hinder dissemination or misleading or inaccurate information. The government might also require firms to label calorie amount in their products (Detels, at al., 2017). Such initiatives encourage companies to provide individuals with healthy food choices.
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An additional area that the government addresses in public health is one of safeguarding people from preventable harm that comes from other groups or individuals. The rights of people to engage in certain conduct might impact others (Gostin & Wiley, 2016) . The government has the duty of protecting people from dangerous environments, irrespective of whether the causes of health threats result from individuals or organizations or natural (such as a mosquito infestation). The government plays a role in hindering sale of contaminated water, food, and mediations, minimize alcoholic driving, and safeguarding communities and employees from industrial toxins (Gostin, 2018).
The other reason the government has the power and duty of safeguarding public health is one related to the need for realizing population-wide action. The action by the government serves as an efficient and effective way of safeguarding the health of the public as opposed to the other initiatives by individuals. Water fluoridation, immunizations, and salt iodization serve as examples of the vital role of the government because they reduce incidences of disability, illness, death, and save money (Frieden, 2013) .
Overall, the government has the power and duty of safeguarding public health because it has the capacity of implementing efficient public health initiatives at increase the information that decision makers and the public can access, safeguard individuals from harm, establish settings that support healthy habits, and promote health. These benefit the entire society.
References
Bernheim, R. G., Childress, J. F., Melnick, A., & Bonnie, B. J. (2013). Essentials of public health ethics. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Detels, R., Gulliford, M., Tan, C. C., & Karim, Q. A. (2017). Oxford textbook of global public health. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Frieden, T. R. (2013). Government's role in protecting health and safety. Retrieved from http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1303819
Gostin, L. O. (2018). Law and the public’s health. Retrieved from http://issues.org/21-3/gostin/
Gostin, L. O., & Wiley, L. F. (2016). Public health law: Power, duty, restraint. Berkeley: Univ of California Press.
Shi, L., & Johnson, J. A. (2013). Novick & Morrow's public health administration. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Vadi, V. (2013). Public health in international investment law and arbitration. Abingdon: Routledge.
