About The Department of Public Health
The Ministry of Public Health has over the years recorded Chronic non-communicable diseases as the major causes of mortality and morbidity which are preventable. The Ministry of Public Health Guyana has formulated a community based community oriented health care system whose guiding principles is Primary Health Care. The cornerstone of the health care system will therefore be prevention and control of diseases. To realize this, the health care system, needs professionals who are highly qualified and whose basic duty is in the field of Public Health.
The University of Guyana considers Public Health Education to be integral in the sustainable development and improvement of the Health status of the citizens of Guyana, therefore it was on this premise that the Department of Public Health was established in 1975 to offer such training.
The first programme offered was Certificate in Environmental Health Programme, one decade later this programme was upgraded to the Diploma in Environmental Health, Associate Degree and finally the BSc Degree in Environmental Health programme.
The Department then focused on other programmes for example Certificate in Health Sciences Managers and Health Sciences Tutors programmes to provide a health management, teaching learning environment for the Ministry of Public Health.
By 2001 the Department offered its first RN/RM / Medex to Degree Programme in Nursing, to bridge the gaps in Public Health and curative management at Government and Private institutions in Guyana, (Health Centres and Hospitals). Initially the Programme offered four options (1) Management (2) Nursing (3) Tutor (4) Public Health, however elements from these options have been incorporated into a single pathway which we are now offering.
By 2009 the Department, in collaboration with the St. Joseph University, selected graduates from the BSc in Nursing to read for their Master of Science -Nursing Education, this raised the bar of professional Health teachers for the University of Guyana, BSc Nursing degree programme, and the Ministry of Public Health, Diploma Nurses training programme.
As the department continues its innovative trends, in 2009 the department offered simultaneously the Associate Degree in Optometry, and the Associate Degree in Rehabilitation Science.
Over the last six years we have been offering the BSc Degree in Optometry. The BSc Degree in Medical Rehabilitation-with pathways in Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech, Language Therapy/Audiology.
The Department’s has been working to bring to fruition, the BSC Degree in Physical Education /Sports Management and the BSc Degree in Nutrition.
The many changes overtime, sought to address the environmental/public health concerns related to population growth and development
The Department of Public Health is currently offering four Degree Programmes
- RN to BSc NURSING
- BSc in OPTOMETRY
- BSc in MEDICAL REHABILITATION with 3 pathways/Options
- BSc in ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Collaborating with GPHC and University of Vandaveldt and is offering the BSC in Emergency Nursing
- Collaborating with MOPH and is offering the BSC in Public Health Nursing
The University of Guyana, in the near future, will offer a full 4- year Degree Programme in Nursing