Selected candidates from all the seven districts of Malakand Division and four agencies of FATA (South Waziristan, Orakzai, Bajaur and Mohmand) will receive advanced public heath training under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar and Save the Children through the USAID-funded FATA-KP Health Program. The two-year courses of Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Epidemiology and Biostatistics will begin this month at KMU Institute of Public Health &Social Sciences and will address critical capacity gaps in these backward areas.
The MoU signing ceremony was held here at KMU Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Hayatabad in which country director of Save the children Mr. David Skinner was the chief guest while Vice Chancellor (VC) KMU Prof. Dr. Mohammad Hafizullah participated as guest of honour, Director General Health Services Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr. Mohammad Zafar, Dr. Simon Azariah, Chief of Party of the FATA-KP Health Program, Registrar KMU Dr. Fazal Mehmud, Director Research KMU Prof. Dr. Mukhtiar Zaman, Director KMU IPH&SS Dr. Ayaz Ayub and others eminent public health scholars and leaders of the KP and FATA health departments were also attended the ceremony.
Speaking at the occasion VC KMU Prof. Dr. Mohammad Hafizullah said that KMU is the apex institution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that provides advanced training in public health recognized by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.
He lauded the efforts of departments of health of KP and FATA for participating in this opportunity provided by the USAID’s FATA-KP Health Program for enhancing public health capacity of the selected agencies and districts and assured of the highest standards of education that the candidates will receive at KMU.
He said KMU in a short period of only seven years had achieved a big name and fame in the field of medical and allied health sciences.
He highlighted that KMU was not only focusing on bringing reforms in medical education but is also priorities nursing, physiotherapy, paramedical sciences, public health and basic medical sciences on their reforms agenda.
Mr. David Skinner, Country Director, Save the Children said that Save the Children is one of the largest non-government organizations working to save the lives of children in Pakistan. He thanked KMU and the health departments of KP and FATA for playing important roles in orchestrating the provision of advanced public health training to selected candidates and expressed his hope that the trained personnel will be a useful resource in improving the quality and appropriateness of healthcare in the Malakand Division and selected agencies of FATA.
Dr. Simon Azariah, Chief of Party of the FATA-KP Health Program informed the audience that strengthening of district health systems was one of the critical program objectives in addition to creating demand, shaping behaviors and strengthening health services for improved healthcare for mothers, newborns and children. Selected candidates from the program areas will be fully funded to study at KMU in the MPH and MSc Epidemiology & Bio-statistics courses, which will contribute to the long term capacity needed for sustainable improvements in health care system of the selected area. Later on VC KMU and country director save the children sign the MoU.
Source: The Frontier Post.
