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Health Policy, Management and Economics

The Department of Health Policy, Management and Economics (HPME) is one of the six (6) departments in the School of Public Health of the College of Health Sciences (CHS) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. The management of the department is led by the [Head of Department] and supported by both [academic] and [administrative] staff. The department exists as a specialised unit of the KNUST-School of Public Health to help realise the vision of the school to be the most competitive centre of excellence and the preferred destination for public health training, research, and community service in Africa and beyond. The main educational training and research at the department can be grouped into the interdisciplinary fields of:

  • health economics and health financing
  • health care management
  • digital health and health technology assessment
  • health systems and policies.

The department offers various industry-tailored postgraduate programmes and innovative short-courses for continuous professional development. In addition, the academic staff of the department contribute teaching to other programmes both within and outside the KNUST-School of Public Health.

The Department of Health Policy, Management and Economics hosts numerous research projects of PhDs, Postdocs, and Research Fellows, and collaborates closely with a strong network of national and international partners from academia, industry, and policy to provide immeasurable services in the context of health care management and health system policies in Africa and beyond.

 

Objectives

At the end of the MPhil/MPH programmes, the graduates should be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the techniques required in researching and evaluating health systems for strategic planning, management and leadership.
  • Apply various concepts, methods and strategies of organizing, financing, regulating and delivering healthcare services.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental role of the main actors in the health system focusing predominantly on the institutional frameworks, processes, contents and implementation of health and health care policies.
  • Appropriately reflect contexts and advancements in health systems research and management, and consolidate important research findings for training and education.

Vision

To become the most competitive centre of excellence and preferred destination for public health training, research and community service in the sub-Region.

 

Mission

The KNUST-SPH Department of Health Policy, Management and Economics exists to advance knowledge in science and Technology through creating an environment for undertaking relevant cutting-edge research, quality teaching/training of future leaders, entrepreneurship training and community engagement to improve the quality of life of human and animal populations

 

Competitive Advantage

The school is committed to developing highly qualified public health professionals with varied backgrounds and expertise who will manage and lead the health sector in the most efficient and effective manner.

With funding support by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) from the budget of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) as part of the DAAD-PAGEL programme, the Department of Health Policy, Management and Economics, KNUST-School of Public Health in partnership with the Department of Health Care Management at the Berlin University of Technology (TU Berlin) – which is also the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Systems Research and Management – has developed the curriculum for the MPhil/MPH Health Systems Research and Management programme. It is a dedicated effort to train individuals, develop expertise and strengthen institutional capacity in health systems research and management in Ghana and in Africa.

 

Partnerships and Collaboration

The Department of Health Policy, Management and Economics have a strong national and international network of collaborating partners, including:

  • Ministry of Health, Ghana
  • Ghana Health Service
  • African Health Observatory – Platform on Health Systems and Policies, World Health Organization (WHO), African Region
  • European Health Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, World Health Organization (WHO), European Region
  • Department of Health Care Management, Berlin University of Technology, Germany
  • Department of Empirical Health Economics, Berlin University of Technology (TUB), Germany
  • Berlin School of Public Health, Charité – Medical University of Berlin, Germany
  • Institute of Public Health, Charité – Medical University of Berlin, Germany
  • Institute of Virology, Charité – Medical University of Berlin, Germany
  • Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Germany
  • Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Germany
  • Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany
  • Fogarty Center of training and research in injury control, University of Washington
  • Center for Global Health, University of Pennsylvania

 

2. PROGRAMMES OFFERED:

  • Brief of each Programme offered in the School/Faculty. (Undergraduates/Postgraduates)

The Department of Health Policy, Management and Economics offer industry-tailored master-level postgraduate programmes, with a full-time study duration ranging from one (1) year to two (2) years. There is also the option to join the Weekend track of the master-level programmes in case one wants to combine work and study.

Currently, there are two (2) practice-oriented master programmes for one-year full-time study duration, and one (1) research-oriented master programmes for the two-year full-time study duration. These highly subscribed master programmes are:

Practice-oriented master programmes:

  • [MPH Health Services Planning and Management (One-year full-time study duration)]
  • [MPH Health Systems Research and Management (One-year full-time study duration)]

Research-oriented master programme:

  • [MPhil Health Systems Research and Management (Two-years full-time study duration)]

For the completion of the master programme and in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the MPH/MSc/MPhil degree at KNUST, students are required to submit a thesis or its equivalent based on independent scientific work. Students enrolled in these master programmes have the opportunity to write their theses on attractive topics emanating from the wide range of international research projects at the department.

In partnership with international partners, the department offers innovative short courses open to middle-to-high level personnel who may only require short-term training in specific areas of interest to complement their competencies.  Currently, the department runs five (5) innovative short courses for continuous professional development. Short courses in the specialised areas of Health Systems Research and Management are run by the TU Berlin’s Department of Health Care Management in cooperation with the KNUST-School of Public Health in Ghana. These interactive courses are innovative in respect of the training needs of health professionals and other public/civil servants who require short programmes to enhance work output. All courses are held in English and hosted at the KNUST-School of Public Health in Ghana.

 

 

  • Graduation Requirements

These shall be in accordance with the regulations of the School of Graduate Studies as spelt out in the student brochure titled: “Entry requirements & general regulations for graduate programmes.” For the award of MPH/MSc (Health Services Planning and Management), the student must have obtained a minimum of 36 credit hours including the submission and successful defence of a dissertation. In addition to the MPH/MSc requirements, the student must have undertaken a 3-month field residency programme in a rural health district under the supervision of the District Director of Health Services who must have an MPH degree.

 

Career Prospects

There is a broad spectrum of opportunities for graduates of this programme to be employed and/or establish themselves as entrepreneurs at all levels of the health system and within the health market. Graduates – as health managers, researchers, experts and consultants – will be competent in macro-level health systems organization, financing and management; health policy management and governance; data generation and management; health planning; policy analysis, evaluation and development; economic evaluation of health programmes and technologies; comparison of international health systems and policies; entrepreneurship; communication-skills in presentation and writing, lobbying and advocacy. The demand for these competencies and skills cuts across:

  • Governmental organizations (e.g. Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service)
  • Formidable health associations (e.g. Christian Health Association of Ghana)
  • Research institutions (e.g. USAID Health System, Ghana Statistical Service)
  • Schools of Public Health
  • Health industry (e.g. consultancies, start-ups)
  • International organizations (e.g. WHO, UNICEF, World Bank)
  • NGOs, local and international (e.g. World Vision, Care International, Core)
  • Bilateral Donors (e.g. USAID, GiZ, UKaid)
  • International labour market