The health of the general public is one of the main concerns of government policies today. With the world population steadily rising to over 6 billion persons as of the present, regions where the population is densest are the places where people are more likely to be diseased and undernourished. In fact, more than two thirds of the world human population belongs to developed countries. Developed countries often have limited resources to support all its constituents adequately, not to mention enough medical facilities to take care of persons who need help the most.

Most government organizations are aimed at providing accessible medical assistance to areas that have high prevalence of serious diseases and disorders. As a way of improving the health state of the population, government legislation also supports the cleaning up of the environment, through waste management efforts and the elimination of excessive carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.

A lot of the diseases afflicting the world today are caused by environmental pollutants, as well as infectious substances from micro organisms. In relation to that, the quality of the air at the present time is very much different than that of the past few decades. More chemicals are present not only in the air, but also in the soil, and most especially in the water that people have access to. Heavy metals are deadly pollutants that destroy water systems as well as cause diseases to people who drink water containing them. Some diseases caused by drinking contaminated water are: cholera, diarrhoea, and heavy metal poisoning.

How are water-borne diseases prevented? There are many facilities that conduct water sampling and analysis of water quality to determine if such a water source is safe for human consumption. A water sample is taken to a laboratory and placed on a dish with bacterial agar. After a few hours of incubation, any bacterial colonies formed on the agar indicate that there are microbes present in that water. While some bacteria are generally safe, there are also a number of them that are potentially harmful when introduced to the body. To avoid getting sick from contaminated water, filters should be used when getting water from the sink. Boiling or distilling water is also a method of killing these bacteria.

Also, there are airborne allergens that affect the respiratory health of many people. Dust, noxious chemicals, and microbial spores are potentially harmful to the body when inhaled. Keeping the house clean can help prevent the inhalation of these items. There are also better alternatives for automobile fuel, which are also good for the environment and the health of the public.