The Master Course in Public Health (MPH)

In 1999 the School of Public Health and Social Sciences at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences organised a core team of Tanzanian Experts, and Public Health Experts from the University of Heidelberg, made available via GTZ, developed a modular one year Masters Course in Public Health. The wish for such a course was articulated by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) as it was seen that the success of the Heath Sector Reform largely depends upon human resources for health capacity.

The course curricula and teaching are in accordance with international standards.Since 2000 the course has been running successfully and now is self-supporting. In 1999 only 8 of 114 District Medical Officers in Tanzania had had further training in Public Health. Today the number is much greater. In the regions supported by TGPSH 13 out of 29 are holders of an MPH degree , and 4 are currently in the process of pursuing one at MUHAS.

The goal of the programme is to prepare the MPH graduate as a Health Management Officer within the community as the main focal point who will be a member of health planning and management committees in Government as well as Non-Governmental Organisations, a professional in public health matters and also a chief liaison officer of MoHSW.

Links with the University of Heidelberg remain close with joint research, student and staff exchanges.

For more information see Department of Tropical Hygiene and Public Health www.hyg.uni-heidelberg.de/ithoeg/banner_athoeg.htm

TGPSH supports a small number of District Medical Officers (DMOs) or health staff from the four programme regions to undertake the MPH every year.So far a total of 19 persons have successfully completed the masters' course. In addition and in agreement with MoHSW, staff from other regions have also been supported upon the understanding that after the course they relocate to one of the four programme regions for at least three years. Other sponsors include MoHSW, DANIDA, SAPREC. Students from Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, India and Holland have also graduated successfully from the school.

Download: Evaluation of MPH

The School of Public Health and Social Sciences

The School of Public Health and Social Sciences (formerly Institute of Public Health) came into being on July 1st 1991 when the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Dar-es-Salaam was upgraded to a college - Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) (formerly Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences (MUCHS). The School is composed of four academic departments (Behavioural Sciences, Community Health, Epidemiology/Biostatistics and Parasitology/Medical Entomology). The school is the college's major resource for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research in public health.

The school has over 20 academic staff members who teach, conduct research and carry out numerous consultancies.

The school runs the successful Master in Public Health (MPH) as a one year course to ensure that key staff are not out of their posts for longer than necessary and to fit the international mainstream.

Link to their website www.muhas.ac.tz

For more information download course details here: Prospectus UDSM.