Overview of the Department

• Introduction

Public health is the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health. From the normal human interactions involved in coping with numerous health and health-related problems, there has emerged recognition of the importance of public health institutions establishment in the promotion of health and the prevention and treatment of disease which is expressed in the concept of public health. Thus, establishing public health as an academic institution will support alleviating national and global public health problems. These and other reasons led to the establishment of the public health department at salale university. Overall, our department is currently executing numerous tasks within those directions of public health strategies.

• Background

The public health department is amongst the first ever launched departments at salale university under the college of health sciences in the year 2012. Starting from the date of foundation, the department has been actively partaking in different pillars such as teaching, community services, and research activities that are specified by the university. Recently, the department of public health has accommodated more than 150 students in undergraduate programs including post-basic family health students. Moreover, the department has initiated different master’s programs over the last two years and nowadays more than 200 students are following their education. Currently running master’s programs at our department include masters of public health in reproductive health, masters of public in general public health, masters of public health in nutrition, and masters of science in Epidemiology. And, the master’s programs are being delivered as a regular and weekend.

• Establishment

The department is established in 2012

• Mission

Produce competent and innovative citizens at all levels

Conduct problem-solving researches

Provide efficient community and consultancy services

• Vision

Envisioned being one of the top ten selected universities in Ethiopia in quality education, research, community services, and technology transfer in 2025.

Programs

Under the public health department currently, there are two running undergraduate programs at BSc. level and four postgraduate programs at the master’s level. The two undergraduate (bachelor of science) programs contain public health and post-basic family health. As well, the four postgraduate (masters) programs comprise masters of public health in reproductive health, masters of public in general public health, masters of public health in nutrition, and masters of science in Epidemiology.

Staff

The current staff profile of public health department is indicated in the following table

Table 1: The up-to-dated profile of manpower at the department of public health, February 2022

Seminars and Conferences

• At the level of the public health department, there are no events like seminars or conferences taking place.

Research Community Service

In our department, the following listed areas were thematized for conducting research, community service, and projects.

• Maternal and child health
• Communicable diseases
• Non-communicable diseases
• Environmental health and sanitation problems
• Trauma and injury
• Occupational hazards

Consultancy and training

At the level of the public health department, currently there are no services related to consultancy and training. However, our academicians are vastly committed to providing consultancy services and training.

Facilities

The public health department has no facilities like laboratories/workshops. As a result, the department is enforced to rely on the other facilities/settings or departments to seek laboratory services for different purposes.

Partnerships and Collaborations

There are no international and national partnership activities targeted at the department of public health level. However, some activities like abroad scholarships and collaborations with local partnerships such as Oromia regional health bureau and adjacent health facilities are facilitated through a college of health sciences to interact with our department.

Contact person

Girma Garedew (public health department head)

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone number: +251913937731