Anthony Irvine Adams
Encyclopedia
Anthony Adams is an Australian Public Health physician.
He studied medicine at the University of Adelaide
graduating in 1959.
He undertook postgraduate studies at Harvard School of Public Health
obtaining a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in 1961.
While in the USA in 1962 he attended the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association
in Miami and was so inspired that he resolved to start a Public Health Association in Australia. He worked at the School of Public Health in Sydney as senior lecturer in 1964.
In Australia at that time there was a New South Wales
Public Health Association and a Western Australia
Public Health Association plus the Queensland
Society for Health but no national body. There was also no academic organization to coordinate public health research in the country.
In 1968 he convened a meeting to establish the Australian (later Australian and New Zealand Society) for Research in Community Health and finally formed the Australian Public Health Association.
In 1969 he was secretary of both organizations. He made sure that Australia joined the World Federation of Public Health Associations.
He was Chief Heath Officer in NSW, and Chief Medical Officer for Australia and then Professor of Public Health at the Australian National University
.
On 8 June 1998 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the community in the field of epidemiology and to the public health, particularly through public health policy development and program delivery.
He led the Australian delegation to the World Health Assembly
and the Western Pacific World Health Organization
meetings for many years and in 2010 was still Chair of the Global Commission for the Certification of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis - the largest public health program in history.
In 2001 he was awarded the Harvard School of Public Health Alumni Award of Merit for a "distinguished service in public health practice".
In 2001 he retired to Avoca Beach, NSW, but is still involved in local public health issues such as getting the benefits of fluoridated water to the last remaining areas in the state.
He studied medicine at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
graduating in 1959.
He undertook postgraduate studies at Harvard School of Public Health
Harvard School of Public Health
The Harvard School of Public Health is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University, located in the Longwood Area of the Boston, Massachusetts neighborhood of Mission Hill, which is next to Harvard Medical School. HSPH is considered a significant school focusing on health in the...
obtaining a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in 1961.
While in the USA in 1962 he attended the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association
American Public Health Association
The American Public Health Association is Washington, D.C.-based professional organization for public health professionals in the United States. Founded in 1872 by Dr. Stephen Smith, APHA has more than 30,000 members worldwide...
in Miami and was so inspired that he resolved to start a Public Health Association in Australia. He worked at the School of Public Health in Sydney as senior lecturer in 1964.
In Australia at that time there was a New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Public Health Association and a Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
Public Health Association plus the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
Society for Health but no national body. There was also no academic organization to coordinate public health research in the country.
In 1968 he convened a meeting to establish the Australian (later Australian and New Zealand Society) for Research in Community Health and finally formed the Australian Public Health Association.
In 1969 he was secretary of both organizations. He made sure that Australia joined the World Federation of Public Health Associations.
He was Chief Heath Officer in NSW, and Chief Medical Officer for Australia and then Professor of Public Health at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
.
On 8 June 1998 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the community in the field of epidemiology and to the public health, particularly through public health policy development and program delivery.
He led the Australian delegation to the World Health Assembly
World Health Assembly
The World Health Assembly is the forum through which the World Health Organization is governed by its 194 member states. It is the world's highest health policy setting body and is composed of health ministers from member states....
and the Western Pacific World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
meetings for many years and in 2010 was still Chair of the Global Commission for the Certification of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis - the largest public health program in history.
In 2001 he was awarded the Harvard School of Public Health Alumni Award of Merit for a "distinguished service in public health practice".
In 2001 he retired to Avoca Beach, NSW, but is still involved in local public health issues such as getting the benefits of fluoridated water to the last remaining areas in the state.