HISTORY

1927

	The "Andrija Štampar" School of Public Health was founded in 1926, attributed to the initiative of a group of public health workers led by Dr Andrija Štampar and the financial support of the Rockefeller Foundation. The School was formally opened on October 3, 1927. In the first years of its functioning the School was integrated with the Institute of Hygiene into one institution. At the time Institutes of Hygiene carried out very important tasks: they supervised and, in a way, directed the work of health institutions in their regions. The School was the top element of public hygienic service entrusted with the task to study conditions which might have favourable or unfavourable impacts on people's health.
	One of the principles which later on gained in importance was to consider medicine as one and an integrated discipline in which prevention and treatment were different aspects of integrated health care. According to such views and practice, the hygienic service in the country was considered by many experts in the world as an original, progressive and successful form of health care.
	Within the 'Institute of Hygiene with the School of Public Health' extensive field work on the investigation of health condition was also organized as well as health campaigns, such as health education, endemic disease control (malaria), rural sanitation (e.g. the village of Mraclin). The Institute also attracted "social physicians" from practice, nurses and other profiles of health workers, teachers, veterinarians, etc. for different forms of continuing education. Special attention was paid to the development and active participation in the education of nurses.
	Since health improvement in the rural areas was one of the highest priorities, the School organized the so called 'Countrymen's University'. Specially designed seminars for village dwellers - both men and women - were conducted in which they were taught about health and the methods of improving health. In this programme, modern pedagogical views were developed, such as practicum, workshops and exercises dealing with agriculture, domestic economics and rural sanitation. Health was considered in its broadest sense a part of life and development of the community.
	A rich library and the School's own publishing service were developed as well as printing. The organized photo-film laboratory is the one where the first artistic films in the country were made.