Central Department of Public Health (CDPH)

Background

Tribhuvan University, Institute of Medicine started undergraduate education in Public Health in 1986 and postgraduate education in 1991 for the first time in Nepal. Until 2018, the public health programs at bachelor and master level were conducted by the Maharajgunj Medical Campus.

Further realizing the necessity of providing excellency in public health education in the country and need for expanding and upgrading the public health academic infrastructure, Central Department of Public Health (CDPH) was established in August 2018 with the decision of TU executive council. CDPH is the autonomous entity of public health education under the aegis of Tribhuvan University (TU), Institute of Medicine (IOM). With the establishment of CDPH, the students’ admission and teaching-learning arrangement of Bachelor of public Health (BPH), Master of Public Health (MPH), Master in Health Promotion and Education (MHPE) and Master in Public Health Nutrition (MPHN) and PhD in Public Health are implemented by the CDPH. The CDPH is planning to introduce new programs in public health discipline as per the need of the country.

Overview of the Central Department

The Central Department of Public Health is a leading central department of the Tribhuvan University devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and to developing leaders in many disciplines of public health who make a difference in professional practice, health systems, and ultimately human lives both locally and globally. It contributes to community medicine, public health methods and research to other clinical, nursing and allied health science programs as well. The department largely contributes to produce competent and socially responsible public health professionals through community-based learning approaches and focus on research in the fields of public health importance.

The Department, which is based in the premises of IoM, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, has an annual enrollment of close to a hundred candidates, including bachelors, masters and doctoral students of public health, health promotion and education, and public health nutrition. CDPH has more than 1500 alumni around the world (but mostly in Nepal) working to improve health outcomes for all through the many professional settings such as government offices, civil society, academics, international organizations (bilateral, multilateral, including United Nations agencies, funds, programs and entities and private corporations.

Vision

The overarching vision of Central Department of Public Health is to support to ensure national and international populations’ fundamental rights to stay healthy, through excellence in education and research.

Mission

Create and sustain holistic development of public health education through multisectoral co-operation and collaboration, and advocacy to improve public health leadership locally and globally.

Goal

Develop competent and responsible public health workforce through evidence based educational practice, which provides leadership to protect and improve health of the public.

Objectives

1. Produce socially responsible public health workforce
2. Develop public health discipline towards academic specialization and super specialization
3. Advance public health discipline and service through research and innovation
4. Foster public health researches locally, nationally, and globally
5. Develop service oriented academic and research activities.
6. Supports various level governments to develop public health policies and programs
7. Enhance linkage of public health education to public health practices.

Academic Programs

• PhD in Public Health
• Master in Public Health
• Master in Health Promotion and Education
• Master in Public Health Nutrition
• Bachelor in Public Health

Resources

Faculties

Currently faculties of CDPH are working under following areas of expertise:

1. Epidemiology and Biostatistics  
2. Demography and Population Health
3. Family Health and Nutrition
4. Health Promotion and Education
5. Medical Sociology and Medical Anthropology
6. Health Policy, Management and Economics
7. Environmental Health and Occupational Health
8. International Health, Primary Health Care and Global Health

Management of teaching learning programs in CDPH

Public health education and research activities are managed by various units under CDPH.

Program Units

• Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Health Informatics
• Public Health Nutrition
• Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences
• Family and reproductive health
• Health Management and Health Economics
• Public Health, Global Health and Primary Health Care
• Environmental and Occupational Health
• Basic Public Health Sciences
• Community Based Education (CBE)

Course leader 

Each unit will be led by a course leader selected by the CDPH Head based on subject expertise and relevant contribution in teaching learning and research activities on the subject. Members of each unit are faculties who are engaged in specific subjects for teaching learning and research activities.

Program coordinator

BPH, MPH, MPHE, MPHN and PhD coordinators are identified to coordinate specific program.  Year-wise coordinators are nominated as per need. The program coordinators are nominated by the CDPH Head from the pool of faculties of the CDPH.

Program support committees

There are various support committees for management and operation of programs. Each committee and unit has specific terms of reference.

• Subject Committee
• Central Departmental Research Committee (CDRC)
• Institutional Review Committee (IRC)
• Management Committee
• Thesis Committee
• Community Based Education (CBE) Unit

Contact Info

• Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal
• cdph@iom.edu.np, head@cdph.tu.edu.np
• +977-1-4435033

Source of Info: https://cdphtu.edu.np

Related readings

Ministry of Health & Population

Divisions:

1. Policy, Planning & Monitoring Division
2. Health Coordination Division 
3. Quality Assurance & Regulation Division
4. Population Management Division
5. Administration Division

Unit

• Health Emergency and Disaster Management Unit (Health Emergency Operation Center -HEOC)

Councils

1. Nepal Medical Council
2. Nepal Nursing Council
3. Nepal Ayurvedic Medical Council
4. Nepal Health Professional Council
5. Nepal Pharmacy Council and
6. Nepal Health Research Council

Central Hospitals

Departments

• Department of Health Services (DoHS)
• Department of Drug Administration (DDA)
• Department of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine (DoAA)

Vector Borne Disease Research and Training Center (VBDRTC)

Department of Health Services (DoHS)
Centres

• National Health Education, Information and Communication Centre (NHEICC)
• National Health Training Centre (NHTC)
• National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC)
• National Tuberculosis Control Centre (NTC)
• National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL)

Divisions

• Management Division
• Family Welfare Division
• Curative Service Division
• Nursing and Social Security Division
• Epidemiology and Diseases Control Division (EDCD)

Sections

• Administration Section
• Finance Administration Section

Department of Drug Administration (DDA)

1. Drug Evaluation and Registration Division
2. Planning, Coordination and Management Division
3. Inspection, Evaluation and Law Enforcement DivisionNational Medicines Laboratory (NML)

Department of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine (DoAA)

1. Herbs, Medicine and Research Division
2. Ayurveda Medicine Division
3. Alternative Medicine Division
4. Administration Section

Ministry of Social Development (MoSD)

• Hospital Development and Medical Service Division
• Policy, Law, Standard, Planning and Public Health Division

Offices 

• Health Directorate
• PHEOC
• Health Offices
• Provincial Health Logistic Management Center
• Health Training Center
• Provincial Reference Laboratory

• Metropolitan Health System (Division/ Section)
• Sub-Metropolitan Health Section
• Rural Municipality Health Section
• Municipality Health Section
• Primary Hospitals
• Primary Health Care Center
• Health Post
• Urban Health Promotion Center
• Urban Health Center
• Community Health Unit
• Female Community Health Volunteers
• Expanded Program on Immunization Clinics
• Primary Health Care Outreach Clinics

Related readings: Health Insurance Board (HIB)