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Welcome message
Dear Students,
Welcome to this module entitled “Health Context” to this course will provide students with a heightened awareness and understanding of the Environmental Health, Occupational Safety and Health, Disaster Management, Preparedness, and Planning and Community Development and Health. Each course unit in the module is presented by respective course facilitator and allowing students to learn from some field experience highly recognized in the domain.
Course content is designed to assist Masters student in acquiring cutting-edge, evidence-based health context knowledge and skills in order to respond in a timely and appropriately promote the health of the population.
This module is composed of four units including:
- Disaster Management, Preparedness, and Planning
- Occupational Health and diseases
- Environmental Health
- Community Development and Health
Module learning outcomes
The primary purpose of this Module is to:
- Equip students with knowledge and skill to analyses the main health problem in Rwanda and develop appropriate community intervention.
- Understand the key issues involved in setting up a response mechanism for complex emergencies and how to conduct a rapid needs assessment for a given disaster situation.
- Understand the methods for the prevention of occupationally related diseases
- Apply environmental health principles to improve the enabling environment for WASH, and Improve community well-being.
Module Facilitators
Module Leader: Prof MUNYASHONGORE Cyprien E-mail:munyacyp@yahoo.fr
Ass Prof Theoneste NTAKIRUTIMANA E-mail: tntakirutimana@nursph.org
Dr. RUGIGANA Etienne E-mail: rugigana@nursph.org
Dr. MUSABYIMANA Angle E-mail: amusabyimana@nursph.org
Dr. RWABUFIGIRI Bernard E-mail:bngabo@nursph.org
Dr. DUKUZIYATUREMYE Pierre E-mail:dukuzegift@gmail.com
Contact hours: Official working hours
Most welcome!
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INTRODUCTION
In this course unit we will be discussing personal and institutional based preparedness for disasters and large-scale public health emergencies. This course will provide students with a heightened awareness and understanding of the natural and man-made hazards that create disaster events. Course content is designed to assist students in acquiring cutting-edge, evidence-based disaster knowledge and skills in order to respond in a timely and appropriate manner.
We start by presenting an overview of the foundational concepts underlying disaster preparedness with a focus on understanding individual public health worker roles and responsibilities within our existing emergency response systems as well as for personal and family preparedness. Next, we consider all components of a well-designed institutional preparedness program including redundant communications and situational awareness, the role of the public health in disaster operations and logistics, and education and training for workforce development. Finally, we cover the roles and responsibilities of public health worker in response to specific disaster and public health emergency events resulting from acts of terrorism, pandemic influenza and emerging highly infectious disease, chemical, biological and radiological emergencies, and natural disasters.
Learning outcomes
- Teach students skills to use information technology to access current disaster-relevant information for assessing, planning, mitigating, responding to and recovery from disaster from local through global levels.
- Create or strengthen an appreciation for the practical value of theory with a strong focus on capacity building and evidence based practice
- Give students knowledge of the social factors affecting disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
- Provide an understanding of the social nature of natural hazards and disasters
Facilitator: Dr.Etienne RUGIGANA
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Introduction
All areas,worldwide are prone to a diverse number of disasters. Disasters arise from ‘hazards’, and the level of vulnerability of communities to these hazards is in many places very high. The effects of disasters can therefore be reduced if there is ‘capability’ at all levels for prompt response to disasters as well as capability for prevention and reduction in vulnerability of the population (risk reduction). In this session, we shall describe the meaning of each of these terms. This session should students to understand the key concepts and terminologies related to disasters and the classification.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session the participant should be able to:
- Explain the meaning of ‘disaster’ and related terms
- Explain the relationship between risk, hazard, vulnerability and capacity
- Classify disasters
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Introduction
Disasters have many effects and these include a number of Public Health consequences. The role of disaster management teams in different institutions is therefore to prevent, mitigate or respond to these consequences. In this session, we shall look at the main public health consequences of disasters and we shall use two types of disasters (drought and floods) to illustrate these effects. We shall also look at the key considerations in the disaster management cycle, and what interventions can be put in place to address the effects of disasters at each of the stages in this cycle. This session is intended to equip the students with knowledge of the key public health consequences of disasters and demonstrate to them how the disaster management cycle can be used to address these consequences.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session the participant should be able to:
- Outline the main public health consequences of disasters
- Use two types of disasters to demonstrate the public health consequences of disasters
- Outline the stages of the disaster management cycle and identify activities in each of these stages
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Introduction
Epidemics (or outbreaks) of disease are one of the most common public health disasters likely to occur in districts. However, in many cases the districts are ill-equipped and not prepared to respond to these epidemics in time. In order to prevent the sharp rise in cases and deaths, district teams have to respond to possible outbreaks as soon as they are reported. In this session, we shall look at the public health implications of outbreaks, and the steps that district teams should take in preventing and responding to them. This session is to equip district teams with the knowledge and skills to be able to respond promptly to outbreaks of disease, so as to prevent spread of infection and reduce deaths.
Learning objectives
At the end of this unit the participant should be able to:
- Explain the meaning of an outbreak
- Describe the criteria for detecting an outbreak in a area.
- Describe the key steps in responding to an outbreak in a area.
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Introduction: Mass Casualty Incidents are usually associated with a very rapid rise in the number of affected people and response operations can only make a difference if they act fast to save as many lives as possible. In this session, we shall describe the features of Mass Casualty Incidents and how the technique of ‘triage’ can be used to assist those who need help most urgently. In the second part of the presentation, we shall look at the importance of proper communication in disaster situations. This session is to describe the key considerations in handling Mass Casualty Incidents, and communication processes in a disaster situation.
Specific Objectives
By the end of this session, participants should be able to:
- Define a Mass Casualty Incident and justify the importance of the immediate response in MCIs
- Explain the techniques of triage in MCIs
- Explain the importance of good communication in disaster situations
- Outline the key principles underlying good communication in disaster situations
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Introduction
Complex Emergencies are a common occurrence in the world and they affect not only countries but the service delivery systems in districts. In this session, we shall look at the key considerations in response to complex emergencies. In the second part of the session, we shall look at how a district can conduct a rapid needs assessment of any disaster that occurs at the district level. We shall see that in a rapid needs assessment, we collect information. Students should understand the key issues involved in setting up a response mechanism for complex emergencies and how to conduct a rapid needs assessment for a given disaster situation.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this session the student should be able to:
- Define a complex emergency
- Outline the key considerations in responding to a complex emergency
- Explain the importance of a rapid needs assessment in disaster management
- Outline the key steps in conducting a rapid needs assessment for a disaster at the district level
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Introduction
One of the commonest Public Health Disasters in
Specific Objectives
At the end of this session the participant should be able to:
- Define fire and explain its causes and the factors that influence them
- Describe the consequences of fire
- Explain the different mechanisms of fire extinguition
- Outline the key principles of fire risk prevention and of fire management.
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Introduction :
In this unit, you will understand the history of Occupational Health and diseases. Classification of workplace hazards. Types of Occupational diseases. Principles of prevention of occupational hazards in different occupational settings. Roles of International Labor Organization (I.L.O) in Occupational Health; Risk Assessment and Management; Occupational Hazards in the Work Environment, exposures and Control; assessment of the workplace
Objectives:
- Illustrate the methods for the prevention of occupationally related diseases.
- Explain the categories of the health impact of the occupational hazard
- Discuss occupational Safety and Health concepts
- Explore the physical and psychological effects of occupational hazards
- Explore the categories of health impacts of occupational hazards
- Explain the methods for the prevention of occupationally related diseases
- To discuss the duties of employers when workers are exposed to the occupational hazard
Learning and Teaching Strategy
- Theory: Online lectures, group discussion forums, E-tivity will be used as a method of learning,
- Practical and demonstrations: Field Experiential learning
- Assessment Strategy
You will be given Individual assignments and the field visits reports will be marked. On top of that, an online CAT will be conducted.
The final exam that covers the entire module will take place at the end of the module.
Assessment Pattern
Component
Weighting (%)
Assignments and CAT
60%
Final assessment
40%
Total
100%
- Strategy for feedback and student support
You will be given and individual feedback on the subject evaluated.
Facilitators:
Ass Prof Theoneste NTAKIRUTIMANA E-mail: tntakirutimana@nursph.org
Dr. RWABUFIGIRI Bernard E-mail:bngabo@nursph.org
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Introduction:
This chapter introduces different terminologies used in occupational health, environmental hazards at different workplace settings, duties of employers when workers are exposed to occupational hazards, and also discusses the people who contributed to occupational safety and health in history.
Learning outcome:
At the end of this chapter, you will be able :
- To Identify environmental hazards in your working place.
- To discuss the duties of employers when workers are exposed to occupational hazards
- List at least five people who have contributed to occupation safety and health in history and discuss their contribution
To achieve the above learning outcomes the following activities need to be done:
- Read the attached Powerpoint Presentation in each chapter,
- Read various attached reading materials.
- Participate in discussion forums, at least one post for each student is required
- We will conduct field experiential learning and student individual report will be needed
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