eCourse Program

Certificate Course in Public Health Surveillance

The course will contribute towards building a dynamic health workforce for Transforming Public Health Surveillance in the 21st century to ensure health security and promote health equity.

Background

Health assessment has been highlighted as one of the three core functions of public health along with policy development and health assurance, in a 1988 landmark report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Public health surveillance, open called the cornerstone of public health practice, is an essential element of the health assessment function. Public health surveillance is the foundation for evidence informed and effective public health interventions. Surveillance is needed to understand and to monitor the epidemiology of health related events in order to set priorities and formulate strategies for appropriate public health actions. Surveillance system serves as an early warning system to identity disease outbreaks or public health emergencies; and as a tool to document impact of health interventions or to monitor progress towards specified public health goals. The perennial threat of influenza pandemic, increasing drug resistance of microbes and vectors, and the ongoing Ebola crisis in West Africa have shown the importance of social, societal and systems determinants of disease occurrence and the risk they pose to national and global health security. States need effective surveillance systems with enhanced capacity to understand social determinants of health, incorporating advancements in epi‐genetics and health informatics, with a health systems strengthening approach, in order to prevent, predict, detect and treat emerging and re‐emerging health threats. While the Low and Middle Income countries (LMICs) are still grappling with the unfinished agenda of communicable diseases; the epidemiologic and demographic transition of their population along with other factors is leading to constantly increasing burden of non‐communicable disease. To tackle these challenges and reach the health related development goals – health systems in these countries will need effective public health information and surveillance systems to efficiently channelize and optimally utilize the limited resources for better health. Strengthening of surveillance systems is also required to meet the surveillance and response core capacity standards for compliance with the International Health Regulations (IHR) – 2005, and for national and global health security. This surveillance and response system strengthening need demands investment in human resource capacity building.

Aims & Objectives

The certificate course in public health surveillance, by Public Health Foundation of India, in collaboration with the International Society for Disease Surveillance (ISDS), aims to build capacity of human resource in health care and allied sectors in the science and practice of public health surveillance, with a perspective of strengthening of the health system.

Course Design and Duration

The course is designed for a period of six months through E-Learning using computer based online program. It is a E-Learning online program, largely self‐taught and complemented with online lectures and study material.

Eligibility Criteria

The course would be open to graduate and postgraduate students in medical, veterinary and allied health fields; professionals working with national health programs ; academic institutions; NGOs in health sector; UN agencies; or anyone with a relevant background and keen interest in the science and practice of surveillance. Eligible candidates would be screened, based on their application and statement of purpose.

Course Content

The certificate course will have three modules with 16 sessions equivalent to 16 credits:

  • Fundamentals and recent advances in public health surveillance
  • Public health surveillance networks, collaborations and surveillance in special situations
  • Public health surveillance for health security and health equity

Candidates will be required to complete a mentored project during the course. The project will offer an opportunity for the candidates to identify and tackle a surveillance problem; engage with surveillance experts and produce an application oriented output.

Teaching and Training Methodology

The course utilizes a blended online teaching/learning technique. The basic course structure includes a combination of interactive online computer‐based sessions, weekly online virtual lectures, assessments and recommended readings from journal articles and text books in a modular format. Online learning sessions would be conducted by designated faculty members and participants would be able to log on from their laptops / personal computers.

Evaluation

Assignments and examinations at pre‐determined intervals will serve to assess and provide feedback to the students. Students will be evaluated at the end of each module; through a final Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) ‐ based examination and evaluation of their project work at the end of the course.

Course Coordinator:
Program Officer:
  • Starts: 31 Jan, 2019
  • Duration: 6 Months
  • Brochure: Download
  • Program Fee: Indian: 18000 INR , South Asian Candidates : SAARC states "Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka".

    see more

    300 USD , Other International Candidates: 600 USD

MIYCAN-Test

THE COURSE

Undernutrition affects mothers and children alike, leading to poor health outcomes among mothers, as well as substantial morbidity and mortality among children. Malnutrition has an intergenerational effect and can continue to be a significant scourge, if ignored.

A critical component towards improving this situation is the knowledge of healthcare providers including medical practitioners, undergraduate and postgraduate students, nursing staff, nutritionists as well as all those working in the field of health and nutrition in optimal Maternal, Infant, Young Child and Adolescent Nutrition (MIYCAN) and the translation of this knowledge into practice.

Indian Institute of Public Health Delhi (IIPH Delhi), Public Health Foundation of India, in collaboration with Alive & Thrive and WeCan has developed an eLearning course on MIYCAN and Adolescent Nutrition which would sensitize its beneficiaries on the importance of first 1000 days of life with specific emphasis on critical importance of maternal nutrition, breastfeeding,and complementary feeding, adolescent nutrition,health systems approach and evidence-based approaches for quality MIYCAN programming.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

The course would be open (including but not limited) to:

  • Clinical practitioners
  • Nursing staff
  • Undergraduate and post graduate medical, nursing and public health students
  • Public health professionals working in health systems and other public health agencies

COURSE DESIGN AND DURATION

The course has been designed to be completed within 4 months. It would be an eLearning online program, largely self-taught and complemented with online lectures/videos and resources for additional reading.

COURSE CONTENTS

This eLearning course will cover the following topics pertaining to maternal, infant, young child and adolescent nutrition:

  • Overview and importance of MIYCAN- linkages of MIYCAN with SDGs
  • Nutrition during adolescence
  • Maternal nutrition
  • Infant and young child nutrition
  • Counselling to improve the nutrition practices
  • Health systems for delivering nutrition services
  • Nutrition programs and strategies for improving nutrition services

ADMISSION PROCESS

Eligible candidates will be screened objectively, based on their academic qualifications and experience, by screening committee of IIPH Delhi.

TEACHING METHODOLOGY

The course will be delivered through an interactive web-based platform and will utilize a blended online teaching/learning technique. The basic course structure includes a combination of interactive online computer-based sessions, online virtual lectures, assessments and recommended readings such as journal articles and text books in a modular online format.

EVALUATION AND AWARD OF ONLINE

CERTIFICATE AND CREDITS

This will be a 12 credit modular course. Students will be evaluated online at the end of each module as well as through a final online examination at the end of the course. Final online certificate will be awarded only to the students who successfully complete the course and clear all the course requirements.

UNIQUE FEATURES OF PHFI CENTRE FOR eLEARNING

  • State of the art learning management system
  • Multidisciplinary faculty
  • Self-paced learning
  • Competency driven curriculum
  • Enriching virtual classroom experience
  • Collaboratively developed programs with national and international organizations
  • Wide range of programs in key areas of public health practice

Partners

Download Course Brochure

Course Coordinator:
  • Program Fee: Indian: 2000 INR

eCourse on Tobacco Control

Admissions open for July 2025 batch
Last date to submit online application is 15th June 2025

Background

The eCourse on Tobacco Control was launched at PHFI in 2011 with technical inputs from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. It trains participants to be tobacco control specialists within the domain of public health.

Aim and Objectives

This course aims to rapidly build public health capacity of participants to improve their knowledge and understanding of Tobacco control strategies and enhance their skills and proficiency in designing and implementing tobacco control programmes.

Course Duration and Design

The total duration of the course is 3 months and will be offered twice in a year and it’s an online eLearning course.

Eligibility

Minimum educational qualification for admission to this course is a bachelor's degree. Applicants having Bachelor's degree in Public health / Medicine/ Dentistry/ Nursing/ Pharmacy/ Psychology/ Biological Sciences/ Social Sciences/ Allied Health Sciences or equivalent are eligible.

Contents

Course content is designed with an objective to prepare participants to function effectively as tobacco control professionals. During the 12 weeks program, students will learn 9 Core modules and 3 Elective modules which they can choose from over eight different options based on their educational and professional background.

Teaching & Training Methodology

The course is being delivered in eLearning mode using Moodle (an open-source LMS) as its Learning Management System. LMS is web-based and can be accessed from any browser connected to Internet. LMS provides a virtual classroom experience to both students and faculty members. It allows faculty to provide study material to the students along with delivery of live and/or recorded lectures.

Evaluation

The evaluation for this course would be based on end of course assessment in the form of multiple choice questions (MCQs) and short answers.

Course Coordinator:
Program Officer:
  • Program Fee: Indian: 10000 INR , South Asian Candidates : SAARC states "Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka".

    see more

    250 USD , Other International Candidates: 300 USD

eCourse in STI & HIV/AIDS

Course Development and Coordination supported by AusAID grant to the University of Sydney and Public Health Foundation of India

Background

HIV/AIDS poses a huge challenge to the developmental gains achieved in the past few decades. Sexually Transmissible Infections (STIs) and HIV are closely interlinked and therefore, there is a need to develop comprehensive response that deals with all the aspects of STIs and HIV. This calls for the need of skilled human resources working to prevent, control and treat STIs and HIV. The number of skilled professionals needed are large while matching training programs to strengthen the skills are adhoc or inadequate. The course in STI & HIV/AIDS intends to fill up the existing gap by building capacity of variety of professionals ranging from medical doctors, nurses, counsellors, health educators, trainers, consultants, social workers, program managers, faculty of health-related ins tuition, researchers to policy makers, by providing necessary training to acquire knowledge, skills and attitude for the prevention and control of STI and HIV/AIDS.

Aims & Objectives

The course aims to equip the professionals working in or intending to work with STI and HIV/ AIDS prevention, control and/ or treatment programs with enhanced knowledge, necessary skills and attitude to provide services, implement programs and conduct training & research in STI and HIV/ AIDS.

Course Design and Duration

The course is designed for a period of six months through eLearning using computer based online program. The online lectures will be complemented with printed study modules.

Eligibility Criteria

The course welcomes eligible candidates with following criteria: Applicants should have a graduate / post-graduate degree in medicine, AYUSH, dental, nursing, pharmacy, health sciences, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, natural / life sciences, management, social sciences, social work or any equivalent qualification. Applicants with work experience in health/ development sector. Applicants currently engaged in STI and/ or HIV/ AIDS programs, research or trainings in health systems or NGOs. Applicants with relevant qualification who have an interest to work in STI and HIV but do not have relevant work experience.

Course Content

This course will provide inter-professional, multidisciplinary, program management-led certificate that meets the needs of students working in a range of disciplines related to sexual health and STIs / HIV, including public health professionals, medical doctors, nurses, counsellors, educators and program managers. This course will explore the social, public health and medical aspects of HIV and common sexually transmissible infections. Emphasis will be placed on the way in which they impact on society, present to clinical services, and can be prevented and effectively managed. Students will develop an awareness of all aspects of sexual health, including the importance of multidisciplinary approaches and the sexual rights of all individuals. The potential geographic, societal, cultural and political challenges faced in the delivery of effective health care for sexual health, STIs and HIV will be discussed. The program will be strongly research-led and provide the student with an understanding of the importance of evidenced-based practice. Broadly, the course will cover introduction to Sexual health, Epidemiology of STIs and HIV, essential biological and clinical aspects of STIs and HIV, Public Health aspects of STIs and HIV, and Health Promotion, Legal, Policy and Advocacy strategies, Program Management and Monitoring and Evaluation. These will be discussed with a focus on STIs and HIV epidemic in India and will cover the national response to STIs and HIV.

Teaching and Training Methodology

The eLearning course will employ a blended online teaching/learning methodology. This methodology comprises fortnightly virtual lectures, interactive online computer-based sessions and online assessments. The learning opportunity and pedagogic structures provide an environment where students across various professional backgrounds come together to solve complex problems in a cross-disciplinary team environment.

Evaluation

The students will be evaluated on three components

  • Online Examinations
  • Assignments
  • Participation in online discussions

At the end of three months and six months, respectively, online examination in the form of multiple choice questions (MCQ) will be held. Additionally, students will be required to submit one assignment upon completion of six months of teaching sessions. The assignment will be given to the students before completing last module and the students will have to upload their assignment online. The students will be expected to participate in discussions related to bio- medical and program aspects of STI and HIV on discussion- board. They will also be expected to participate in interactive sessions at the end of each module.

Course Coordinator:
Program Officer:
  • Program Fee: Indian: 18000 INR , South Asian Candidates : SAARC states "Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka".

    see more

    300 USD , Other International Candidates: 600 USD

eCourse in Health Safety and Environment Management (HSE)

Background

eCourse in Health Safety and Environment Management (HSE) is a three-month eLearning Course for health, medical, environment, safety and engineering professionals. Developed by Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG), it will be delivered by a multidisciplinary team from IIPHG and experts in the field.

It’s a myth that only good and affluent enterprises have a good HSE management. Truth of the matter is that good HSE management helps an organization in achieving its goal of excellence. HSE is an input rather than a by product for successful ventures; public or private, formal or informal

Aims and Objective

The aim of this course is to introduce participants to the concepts & components of HSE and understand HSE issues in India and globally. Broadly, it will help participants to:

  • Understand important concepts and components of HSE
  • Be aware of local and global HSE issues and their burden
  • Know meaning of health and its relationship with work
  • Be familiar with various health hazards associated with occupation
  • Recognize and assess OH hazards
  • Get familiar with basics of safety and its management at work
  • Understand the environment impact, assessment methodology
  • Follow statutory requirements
  • Visualize how health, safety and environment at work interact with each other

Eligibility

The course is open to any science graduate / engineering degree / diploma holder and it will be useful to

  • Those pursuing Advanced diploma in Industrial safety, M.Sc. Env Science, M.D. DPH, MPH, PGDPHM
  • Graduates of science, environment science, any branch of engineering or medicine
  • Professionals working in HSE departments or having responsibility for this function
  • Individuals from NGOs working in the area of occupational health, safety and environment.
  • Personnel from enforcement agencies such as DISH, PCB etc
  • Shop-floor personnel (production, maintenance)
  • Personnel in HR, CSR

Course Contents

  • Introduction to HSE concepts
  • Fundamentals & practice of Occupational Health
  • Safety management
  • Environment and workplace
  • Integrated approach to HSE

Evaluation

Evaluation will be through online based written assignments, short tests / quizzes & participation in online interactive sessions.

Course Coordinator:
Program Officer:
  • Starts: 15 Oct, 2024
  • Last date for applying: 12 Nov, 2024
  • Duration: 3 Months
  • Brochure: Download
  • Program Fee: Indian: 9000 INR , South Asian Candidates : SAARC states "Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka".

    see more

    140 USD , Other International Candidates: 330 USD

eCourse on Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programs

Admission open for January 2025 batch
Last date to submit online application is 15th December 2024.

Background

Policymakers, program staff and researchers face many questions related to monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of public health programs in developing countries. M&E skills provide answers to these questions and are crucial to the successful design, implementation, and tracking of program progress and impact of public health programs. Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) offers an eCourse on Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programs to strengthen the capacity of public health professionals actively engaged in the health sector. This eCourse is designed for global health professionals to develop core competencies to design and implement M&E activities in both government & non- government sectors.

Aim and Objectives

This course aims to strengthen the capacity and update current knowledge about M&E of professional working in the field of public health globally. By the end of this course, participants/ professionals will be able to:

  • Develop a monitoring and evaluation plan for a public health program;
  • Describe the role of monitoring and evaluation in the design of public health programs
  • Formulate a conceptual framework on how the program or intervention will lead to specific health outcomes and impact, when given a set of health program objectives and activities
  • Describe the elements (inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes) that provide the context for monitoring and evaluation activities
  • Describe the types of monitoring systems, sources of data, and their uses
  • Develop program indicators based on an understanding of program-specific criteria
  • Describe evaluation designs and their relative strengths and weaknesses; and Discuss the issues involved in measuring program impact.

Course Design & Durations

The eCourse on Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programs is designed as a maximum Six months program. It is an interactive eLearning computer-based program, self-taught, complemented with online lectures and a comprehensive list of reference materials. The sessions are delivered in synchronous and asynchronous mode. There is also a discussion board to let ideas flow between participants to enable enhanced learning. The official language of course instructions is English. Participants are assessed based on successful completion of session examination at the end of each module, and development of M&E plan by the end of the course.

Eligibility

The course is open to:
  • Applicants with graduate/ post-graduate qualifications with relevant understanding of public health.
  • Applicants currently engaged in public health related activities such as health professionals working with National Health Mission (NHM) and directorates of health services at central, state, and district levels (Health Programs:- Integrated Disease Surveillance Project, National Vector Borne Disease Control Program, HIV/AIDS, Nutrition, Maternal and Child Health Programs etc.); international and local non-governmental agencies; and academic and research institutions.
Eligible candidates will be screened by a selection committee based on their application and statement of purpose. The decision of selection committee will be final.

Contents

The curriculum will cover the broad content areas of Monitoring and Evaluation including: Introduction to M&E, Overview of M&E Plans, Frameworks and indicators, Gender integration in M&E, Information sources and systems, Routine and non-routine data, Data demand and information use, and Evaluation designs. The course will enable participants to develop M&E Plan for any public health program in a stepwise manner.

Teaching and Training Methodology

The course utilizes a blended online teaching/learning technique. The basic course structure includes a combination of interactive online computer-based sessions, online virtual lectures, assessments, and recommended readings from journal articles and textbooks in a modular format. Online learning sessions will be conducted by designated faculty members and students will be able to log on from their laptops/personal computers. Participants will be assessed based on successful completion of session examination at the end of each session and development of M&E plan by the end of the course.

Evalution

Students will be evaluated at the end of each session using multiple choice questions and also at the end of the course on the basis of completing a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. Online certificate will be awarded to candidates who successfully complete the course by securing 80% or more in the overall score.

Course Coordinator:
Program Officer:
  • Program Fee: Indian: 18000 INR , South Asian Candidates : SAARC states "Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka".

    see more

    300 USD , Other International Candidates: 600 USD
Apply

eCourse on GIS Application in Public Health

Background

The complex challenges posed by public health threats demand that public health professionals have a concrete understanding of the relationships among the various factors affecting health. In recent years, public health practitioners have grown increasingly aware of the value Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can add in developing an effective framework for action.

GIS can be used to solve the problems related with management of public health programs, as it helps the decision makers to understand their geographical region, know their coverage with respect to disease prevalence, and correlate different types of data to understand the probability of concurrence of any epidemics and to overcome with positive solutions to any critical information.

GIS can be useful tool for observing longitudinal trends, identifying population at risk, planning and targeting interventions, linking data, forecasting epidemics, monitoring disease patterns and interventions over time, determining geographical distribution and variation of disease (prevalence and incidence) and overall management (eg. Human Resources, Financial, Logistics and Supply, MIS etc.) of an effective health care delivery system.

This course will provide participants a platform to introduce fundamental concepts of the use of GIS within the public health context and build practical experience in the use of open source GIS software (QGIS) and spatially referenced data for effective program management.

Aim and Objectives

This course prepares international/ national participants to strategically solve real-world problems and come up with cutting-edge solutions through a combination of technology and programmatic skills. The overall aim of the course is to provide virtual learning for people working in local enterprise or public sector organisations who require core training and skills development in Geographical Information Systems, or for students who want to study in their own environment and in their own time.

The objectives of certificate course are:

  • To introduce fundamental concepts of GIS use within the public health context and build practical experience in the use of open source GIS software and spatially referenced data for effective program management.
  • To familiarize participants with the use and application of GIS in the field of health
  • To provide experience with the use of the GIS package for analysis, interpretation and presentation of data

Course Design & Duration

The eCourse on GIS Application in Public Health is designed as a six months program. It is an eLearning computer-based program, self-taught, complemented with online lectures, exercises and a comprehensive list of reference materials.

The sessions will be delivered in synchronous and asynchronous mode. There is also a discussion board to let ideas flow between participants to enable enhanced learning.

The official language of course instructions is English. Participants are assessed based on successful completion of examination at the end of each module, and final examination (Assignment) at the end of the course.

Eligibility

The course is open to:
  • Applicants with graduate/ post-graduate along with relevant understanding of public health.
  • Applicants currently engaged in public health related activities such as monitoring and evaluation, planning, research, epidemiological surveillance, data management etc.

Eligible candidates will be screened by a selection committee based on their application and statement of purpose. The selection committee's decisions will be final.

Teaching and Training Methodology

The course utilizes a blended online teaching/ learning technique. The basic course structure includes a combination of interactive online computer-based sessions, practical exercises and assignments, and recommended readings from journal articles and textbooks in a modular format. The assignments has been designed to practice the learning from different sessions by using open source GIS software’s. Online learning sessions are conducted by experienced faculty members and students can log from their laptops/personal computers.
  • Hours required for online reading per week – 2.5 hours maximum
  • Hours required per week for assignment/self-study - 4.5 hours maximum

Evalution

Students are evaluated at the end of each module using multiple choice questions and assessed on an ongoing basis through coursework or assignments. Participants will be able generate their certificate online by achieving 80% or more overall score.
Course Coordinator:
Program Officer:
  • Program Fee: Indian: 18000 INR , South Asian Candidates : SAARC states "Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka".

    see more

    300 USD , Other International Candidates: 600 USD

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