Public Health

BPH Disease Control

Disease Control deals with the principles and strategies to reduce disease incidence, prevalence, morbidity or mortality. It also involves the strategies to prevent and control both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Students offering the Bachelor in Public Health; Disease Control programme will be taught how to manage epidemics which includes carrying out mass vaccination in times of epidemics and mass treatment of endemic diseases; assist in estimating resources needed—vaccines, drugs etc. to control epidemics; contribute to the development of strategies to combat epidemics. The programme also trains students to perform follow-up investigations on other non-communicable diseases; bacterial, viral or parasitic infections reported to the health facility to determine source of infection, contacts and carriers of diseases. Students are also trained in the operation and management of surveillance systems where data on health events are systematically collected, analyzed and interpreted to inform policy decisions in the healthcare system. Students would cover a number of courses which would prepare them for the world of work.

Entry Requirements
Science Students
For Ghanaian applicants, candidates should have Core Mathematics, English and Integrated Science (Minimum C6) with three electives from Chemistry, Physics, Biology or Elective Mathematics. For foreign candidates, required subjects will be Science: English, Mathematics, Biology/Agriculture, Physics and Chemistry plus one Arts subjectand Further Mathematics.

Non-Science Students
For Ghanaian applicants, candidates should have passes (A1-C6) respectively in three (3) core subjects: Integrated Science, English Language, Core Mathematics and Social Studies in addition to credit passes (A1-C6) in three (3) of the following elective subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Elective Mathematics, Food and Nutrition, General Knowledge in Arts, Economics, Animal Husbandry, Geography, Literature, General Agriculture, Information Communication Technology and Management in Living.

Top-Up Students
Candidates with Diplomas awarded by recognized institutions will gain entry into level 300. Candidates must have:

Obtained a diploma from a Ministry of Health training institution or institutions whose diplomas are recognized by the University
Professional Certificate Holders in SRN and Public health Nursing (PHN)
Obtained a Final Grade Point Average (FGPA) of 2.50 or better in the Diploma Programme.

What they will be competent to execute:

Coordination of public health activities (zoonotic to human: One Health Concept)
Planning of Public Health Programs
Institutional Development and Planning
Monitoring & Evaluation
Data Management
Training
Research & Scientific Communication
Public Health Writing
Public Health Surveillance

Job Opportunities for BPH Disease Control Graduates

Ministry of Health
Ghana Health Service
Teaching Hospitals
Non-Governmental Organizations working in the area of Health
International Organizations e.g. UNICEF, WHO, CDC
Ghana Police Service/Ghana Armed Forces Health Services
Private Health Facilities

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
The Epidemiology and Biostatistics department is one of four key departments of the School of Public Health in Hohoe. It is the academic home of the Bachelor in Public Health; Disease Control, Environmental Health and Health Information programs.
In line with the aims and objectives of the School of Public Health, the department provides innovative and sound epidemiologic, biostatistics, environmental and research training to public health students to enable them to significantly contribute to the fight against the myriad of health challenges confronting our communities today.

BPH Environmental Health

The Bachelor of Public Health in Environmental Health prepares students to serve their communities as environmental health professionals. Protecting public health is essential to the well-being of the community and the demand for qualified public health care providers is growing.
Environmental Health covers various parameters of environmental hygiene, the legislation, regulations and policies for ensuring environmental hygiene. It outlines public amenities and sanitary services and the need to ensure the maintenance of these. The program will among others, enable students examine the public health, environmental, economic, and materials conservation aspects of solid waste management. The programme also enables students appreciate the impact and control of rodents and arthropod vectors of diseases, including consideration of economic poisons used, their regulation and safety measures.

Entry Requirements
Science Students
For Ghanaian applicants, candidates should have Core Mathematics, English and Integrated Science (Minimum C6) with three electives from Chemistry, Physics, Biology or Elective Mathematics. For foreign candidates, required subjects will be Science: English, Mathematics, Biology/Agriculture, Physics and Chemistry plus one Arts subject and Further Mathematics.

Non-Science Students
For Ghanaian applicants, candidates should have passes (A1-C6) respectively in three (3) core subjects: Integrated Science, English Language, Core Mathematics and Social Studies in addition to credit passes (A1-C6) in three (3) of the following elective subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Elective Mathematics, Food and Nutrition, General Knowledge in Arts, Economics, Animal Husbandry, Geography, Literature, General Agriculture, Information Communication Technology and Management in Living.

Top-Up Students
Candidates with Diplomas awarded by recognized institutions will gain entry into level 300. Candidates must have:

Obtained a diploma from a Ministry of Health training institution or institutions whose diplomas are recognized by the University
Professional Certificate Holders in SRN and Public health Nursing (PHN)
Obtained a Final Grade Point Average (FGPA) of 2.50 or better in the Diploma Programme.

Why Environmental Health?
Career opportunities are enormously diverse. Upon graduation you may become an Environmental Health Officer, or obtain a position in policy development, health promotion, communicable disease investigation, sustainability or public and community health planning.

What they will be competent to execute:

Environmental Health and Sanitation Promotion.
Leadership in Public Health Practice.
Implementation of International Health Regulations.
Investigation of Illness Outbreak.
Enhanced Food Hygiene.
Public Health Programme Planning, Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation.
Occupational health and Safety.
Disaster Management.
Scientific Communication and Report Writing.

Carrier Pathways:
An environmental health specialist is a general term for someone who inspects environmental health systems to make sure they are in compliance with local, district and state regulations. These regulations are set by the government to keep citizens safe and healthy.
Environmental Health Officers on completion of the programme can be employed in the following departments as hygiene and sanitation officers, development officers, health extension officers, health and safety officers:

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development
Ghana Armed Forces
Ghana Prisons Service
Government Health Facilities (GHS)
Local and International Organizations e.g. UNICEF, ADRA, World Vision International etc.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
Mining companies
Hotels and Restaurants/Food establishments
Water Treatment and Supply Companies
Prosecutors (enforcing sanitary laws and regulations) in law courts
Industrial establishments
Regulated premises e.g. bottled water companies, breweries etc.
Airports, Seaports and Border posts (MOH)

Environmental Health Officers on completion of the programme can also be self -employed as Community-Based Organization (CBOs) Officers in the following areas:

Solid Waste collection i.e. door-to-door, centralized etc.
Liquid Waste collection
Pest Control specialist
Non Profit Organizations

Responsibilities often include:

Reviewing permits
Collecting and interpreting data
Investigating complaints
Monitoring
Educating
Performing inspections
Renewing or revoking licenses

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
The Epidemiology and Biostatistics department is one of four key departments of the School of Public Health in Hohoe. It is the academic home of the Bachelor in Public Health; Disease Control, Environmental Health and Health Information programs.
In line with the aims and objectives of the School of Public Health, the department provides innovative and sound epidemiologic, biostatistics, environmental health and research training to public health students to enable them to significantly contribute to the fight against the myriad of health challenges confronting our communities today.

BPH Health Information

Public health organizations are faced with the challenge of:

Collecting and analyzing data related to the health of a population, and
Managing this data to maximize efficiency and efficacy.

There is a growing need for public health professionals who possess the knowledge required to develop, implement and evaluate public health information systems. This programme introduces students to concepts and the important role of population in health. It focuses on the methods to collect demographic information and their use in the planning of health programs and services; introduces students to the use of data in health management and planning. It also focuses on generating knowledge from data collected as well as the design and management of the Health Management Information System of the Ministry of Health of Ghana, and the outputs that can be generated to improve the health of Ghanaians.
Entry Requirements
Science Students
For Ghanaian applicants, candidates should have Core Mathematics, English and Integrated Science (Minimum C6) with three electives from Chemistry, Physics, Biology or Elective Mathematics. For foreign candidates, required subjects will be Science: English, Mathematics, Biology/Agriculture, Physics and Chemistry plus one Arts subjectand Further Mathematics.

Non-Science Students
For Ghanaian applicants, candidates should have passes (A1-C6) respectively in three (3) core subjects: Integrated Science, English Language, Core Mathematics and Social Studies in addition to credit passes (A1-C6) in three (3) of the following elective subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Elective Mathematics, Food and Nutrition, General Knowledge in Arts, Economics, Animal Husbandry, Geography, Literature, General Agriculture, Information Communication Technology and Management in Living.

Top Up
To enter the Top-Up Programme, candidates must have:

Obtained a diploma from a Ministry of Health training institution or institutions whose diplomas are recognized by the University
Professional Certificate Holders in SRN and Public health Nursing (PHN)
Obtained a Final Grade Point Average (FGPA) of 2.50 or better in the Diploma Programme.

What they will be competent to execute

Data Management
Ability to structure available data in an easily useable form, using a variety of data management software tools
Ability to use a variety of statistical software packages, to create and maintain databases, and to analyze data
Medical records management including clinical coding and classification
System development and management including information security
Public Health surveillance
Public health programme planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
Leadership in public health practice
Training and Research
Implementation of International health regulations

Scientific communication and report writing

BPH Nutrition

This interactive course aims to provide comprehensive training in public health nutrition and to give you a solid grounding in the knowledge and skills that are required to work as a public health nutritionist. It offers students an in-depth education in human nutrition covering the underlying principles and evidence base, concepts and theories of nutrition in relation to public health practice and how nutrition and health or ill health relates. It is an integrated programme covering dietary, public health, social, behavioural, epidemiological, physiological and biochemical aspects of nutritional science. Specialist topics include maternal and child nutrition, nutrition in emergencies, nutrition programme planning, evaluation and monitoring, nutritional epidemiology and nutritional related chronic diseases. There is increasing community interest in nutrition and health, and a growing demand for specialists in these fields. UHAS’s Public health nutrition course is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills required to work in a range of occupations particularly within the Health Service and Local government, bilateral and multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, in private, business or community or public health settings.
Entry Requirements
Science Students
For Ghanaian applicants, candidates should have Core Mathematics, English and Integrated Science (Minimum C6) with three electives from Chemistry, Physics, Biology or Elective Mathematics. For foreign candidates, required subjects will be Science: English, Mathematics, Biology/Agriculture, Physics and Chemistry plus one Arts subject and Further Mathematics.

Non-Science Students
For Ghanaian applicants, candidates should have passes (A1-C6) respectively in three (3) core subjects: Integrated Science, English Language, Core Mathematics and Social Studies in addition to credit passes (A1-C6) in three (3) of the following elective subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Elective Mathematics, Food and Nutrition, General Knowledge in Arts, Economics, Animal Husbandry, Geography, Literature, General Agriculture, Information Communication Technology and Management in Living.

Top-Up Students
Candidates with Diplomas awarded by recognized institutions will gain entry into level 300. Candidates must have:

Obtained a diploma from a Ministry of Health training institution or institutions whose diplomas are recognized by the University
Professional Certificate Holders in SRN and Public health Nursing (PHN)
Obtained a Final Grade Point Average (FGPA) of 2.50 or better in the Diploma Programme.

Why study Public Health Nutrition
Malnutrition and diet-related non-communicable diseases are rising globally. The study of public health nutrition will provide a solid academic and practical training for a variety of careers. Public health nutrition encompass some of the most critically important and hotly debated issues affecting modern society, including world hunger and malnutrition, obesity and non-communicable diseases, the “double-burden” of malnutrition, food safety and the globalization of food. Nutrition professionals help individuals and the public make better informed choices about food and help to improve wellbeing and health.
Department of Family and Community Health
The Department of Family and Community Health, a section of the School of Public Health, is an inspirational and innovative place to study. The department has a strong research culture, based on the application of fundamental scientific principles to address issues of family and community health, nutrition, diet and disease, mental health and public health.

Job Opportunities for BPH Nutrition Graduates

Ministry of Health
Ghana Health Service
Teaching Hospitals
Non-Governmental Organizations working in the area of Allied Health
International Organizations e.g. UNICEF, WHO, FAO, WFP

Humanitarian organizations e.g. Emergency Nutrition Network, Sight for Life, Helen Keller International, World Vision International