Continuing Education Programme

In addition to the MPH course, the School has been introducing short courses in different areas as part of its capacity building efforts under the Continuing Education Programme. The short courses are aimed at building capacity of public and private sectors and in improving the allocation of management resources. The target audience is midlevel managers, government officials, project officials from NGOs, and public health functionaries. The courses offered are Health Care Financing; Health Equity; and Health Systems Research and Development.

Short Courses (Academic Calendar)

i. Health Care Financing

This course mainly discusses how financial resources are distributed across various segments of the healthcare system which have significant implications for population health. The course is supported by MOH&FW and WHO.
The fundamental principles of health economics, as well as that of healthcare financing in the context of Bangladesh are discussed throughout the course. Along with discussing the theoretical principles underpinning health economics and healthcare financing, the course also reviews some of the tools and techniques of financial planning and budget control measures.

ii. Health Equity

The James P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University in collaboration with World Bank and the World Bank Institute, Washington DC the and ICCDR, B offers course on Equity in Health tailored for participants from Bangladesh. Participants are the midlevel health sector managers, government officials and public health experts involved in health sector reform.

iii. Monitoring and Evaluation of Development Programme

The course explores the differences between evaluation, monitoring, research and the role and purposes of evaluation, and its relevance in development .The course also aims to understand and apply the major standards of professional evaluation, Identify the major steps in conducting program evaluation along with types of evaluation design, data collection methods

iv. Thinking Qualitatively : Theory and practice of QRM

Why Qualitative Research?
Research in general has been dominated by quantitative methodology for many decades. It has overshadowed alternative and complementary research approaches. Yet there are questions that are neither possible nor appropriate to address with a single methodology. What cultural assumptions hinder or facilitate communication with members of the community? What are the needs of the people from different age groups and socio-economic strata? Which social and cultural factors should be taken into account before implementing all ambitious plans to improve health, health care or any other development or education programme? These are only some of the questions that confront the professionals and planners. Research scholars are beginning to realize that qualitative research methodology leads us to explore underlying behaviours, attitudes, and perceptions that determine a particular phenomenon; it helps us explain social and programmatic barriers to informed choice or the use of services; it sheds light on the success of particular interventions; and it facilitates better understanding of the policy, social and legal contexts in which people make choices.
Why a short course on Qualitative Research Methodology?
There is yet to be a clear and systematic attempt to conduct QRM training and qualitative research. The Centre for Qualitative Inquiry (CQI) hopes to fill in this void by providing a short course on theory and practice in qualitative research methodology. This field-based course will focus on participatory learning, covering both theory and practical aspects of qualitative research methodology with a focus on health related disciplines.

The different modules in the short course will address:

• Theory & introductory concepts of Qualitative Research

• Qualitative research tools & techniques

• Ethnographic interviews
  o Focus group discussions
  o Observation techniques
  o PRA (participatory rapid appraisal)

• Ethical issues in qualitative research

• Qualitative data analysis

• Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software

• Reporting qualitative findings

v. Quality Management in Health

The course deals with quality of care in all setting and on tools and techniques that could be applicable in Bangladesh in ensuring and managing quality of care.

vi. Executive Certificate in Public Health Management

• The overall purpose is to further strengthen the health system in Bangladesh so as to successfully achieve the health-related MDG and sustain the drive for continued improvement in the health status of the people.

• It will also offer an introduction to public health concepts and provide analytical framework in the context of developing countries

• Further enhance both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills and capacity building of the participants in better managing human, financial and other resources at the local level.

• Contribute to a greater understanding of the complex relationships between socio-cultural factors and health and development in Bangladesh; and Further strengthen the disaster management capacity of the participants so as to enable them to better understand and respond to natural disasters (floods, cyclone, etc) in Bangladesh from a health systems perspective.

vii. Comprehensive Primary Health Care

In 2007, an international network of researchers and people involved in building comprehensive primary health care (CPHC) received funding to support research and research capacity-building. This network, associated with the People's Health Movement, includes individuals in India, Africa, Latin America, Europe, Canada and Australia. Problems of sustainability in selective primary health care programs, and the weakening of public health systems and their capacities to work intersectorally on the determinants of health and on building a more effective partnership with communities, led to calls for the renewal of comprehensive primary health care by the World Health Organization, the Pan-American Health Organization, and health ministries and civil society groups around the world

Keeping this in mind, a team of researchers from James P. Grant School of Public health and ICDDR, B submitted their concept note with an aim to "develop a culturally sensitive, demand based comprehensive primary health care delivery model for Bangladesh" and was successfully awarded a grant from the region 1: India and South Asia. Only 5 applicants were selected for the grant.

The research will be carried out in two UHCs (Upazila Health Complex). The UHCs will be selected from a list of 'high performance area' and 'low performance areas' (as per GOB Criteria) and will look at various aspect of the health system such as existing primary health care delivery model, providers and users perspective of a comprehensive user friendly primary health care, evaluation of the idea of 'need based' or 'demand oriented' comprehensive primary health care, identification of any discrepancies etc. through a descriptive cross-sectional study (mixed-method research). After completion of the study, a dissemination seminar will be conducted involving all the stakeholders to sensitize the community regarding the results.

viii. Engendering the Health System in Bangladesh (BSPH and MOH&FW, GOB )

With an objective of further strengthening the health system through capacity building of the government health professionals, this short course "Engendering the Health System in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects", was a collaborative effort between the School and the MOHFW.

ix. Health System Research and Development

With an objective of strengthening further the health system through capacity building of the health professionals, the HSRD course trains health professionals from different organizations in collaboration with ICDDRB. The participants were exposed to a number of health system issues which include health system structure, health care financing, health human resource, management and leadership, concepts of organization etc. both from the country and global perspective. Sharing of these problem based research findings generates extensive debate and helps to identify key health system issues in Bangladesh.

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