Mountains of the Moon University

Introduction

In Many African Universities training in Public Health is mainly at postgraduate level. This renders it difficult to produce enough Public Health professionals for public health services. Yet it is a very well known fact that no country can perform better than its educational system.

The interplay between education, health, economy and the life expectancy of a nation is very crucial. In Uganda institutions of higher learning especially those in science field are not many. There is also high disease burden attributed to the high prevalence of preventable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malnutrition. Yet there is a National Health Policy which emphasizes the importance of health promotion and disease prevention. But there are an inadequate number of professionals available with relevant public Health knowledge and skills to provide public health leadership in the region. Mountains of the Moon University has thus come in to contribute to the bridging of this gap by offering a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, in East Africa.

Course Objectives

The main objective of the programme is to enable the students to acquire professional knowledge, techniques and skills so that at the end of the training they will be able to do the following:

1. Design and manage community based health related projects.
   
   
2. Be able to Contribute to the solving of most Public Health challenges at community level in the framework of the existing financial, social-cultural, political and professional situations.
   
   
3. Be able to critically plan, initiate, manage, monitor and evaluate primary Health Care interventions at all levels.
   
   
4. Be able to design, conduct, analyse and interpret results of Public Health studies and projects in order to initiate evidence-based interventions.
   
   
5. Be able to identify important environmental and occupational health problems and devise locally applicable/sustainable solutions.

Course Duration

The programme duration is three years and runs along normal university semester system. It consists of six semesters during which students have theory, tutorial, practical and field attachment learning experiences.  Field attachment will be done during the recess time of the first and second year.

Course Structure

The curriculum consists of the following major areas of public health, with seven core courses:
Major areas:

• Epidemiology and Bio statistics
• Reproductive and child heath
• Health policy, planning and management
• Environmental and occupational health
• Social and behavioural science

There core courses are:

• Epidemiology and Bio statistics.
• Primary Health Care.
• Environmental and occupational and Occupational health.
• Health promotion and education.
• Public health Research
• Health services Management.
• Communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Field attachment, Research dissertation and basic computer science are part of the programme, in addition to other foundational courses relevant to public health.

Admission Requirements

To join the programme, the applicants must fulfil the following requirements:

• Have Advanced level with at least two principal passes in Biology and Chemistry. Special consideration will be given to those who have done science related subjects.
  
  
• Hold a 1st or 2nd class diploma or its equivalent from a recognized tertiary institution in Nursing, Clinical Medicine, Veterinary medicine and allied health courses.
  
  
• Have passed the mature age examination (those with certificate and third class diploma) and have at least three years working relevant experience.
  
  
• International qualifications will be converted to the Ugandan equivalent.

Career Prospects for Graduates

Our courses are focused on preparing graduates for diverse career opportunities in the health systems of Uganda and other African country’s ministry of health viz.

1. To work as Assistant District health officers in local governments in Uganda.
   
   
2. In charge of community health/Public health departments in hospitals at all levels i.e. district, Regional and National level and internationally.
   
   
3. In charge of public health activities in local government health institutions.  At district level, Municipalities and Health sub districts level.
   
   
4. Programme officer or take leadership in most local and international NGO’s with public health component like WHO, UNICEF etc.
   
   
5. Occupational health and safety advisor in big factories and industries.
   
   
6. Occupational hygienists
   
   
7. Ministry of health headquarters environmental health division.
   
   
8. Teaching and lecturing in mid level health institutions.