Stakeholders in community health education in Nigeria have called for a holistic review of the postgraduate diploma in community health education curriculum.
In a paper titled, ‘Appraisal of Proposed Areas of Specialisation in Community Health at Higher National Diploma level’ by the Community Health Practitioner Registration Board of Nigeria (CHPRBN), a registered community health practitioner, Dr. Opeyemi Oguntunji, said that there is need for the review and adjustment of Postgraduate Diploma in Community Health Education (PGDCHE) curriculum.
“In any course of study, curriculum design is imperative. It dictates what students will learn and gain under the guidance of lecturers/teachers. The current PGDCHE curriculum designed by the CHPRBN that is already in use in very few universities for the commencement of the said programme above needs urgent attention,” he said.
The community health expert thus suggested that community medical imaging and community immunity and immunology could be expunged and replaced with; community eye care; community health education and promotion; and community gerontology and geriatrics.
“If possible, reproductive and child health as an area of specialization could be replaced with any of or all of these options; community midwifery; community childcare; community reproductive care”, adding that they are offshoots of community reproductive and child health.
“In order to cater against long yearly beckoning on non-Community Health practitioners in the teaching of PGDCHE students, if the Community Health Practitioner Registration Board of Nigeria (CHPRBN) deems it fit, there could be shift in the entry qualifications of one (1) year Community Health Officer (CHO) programme before closure.
“Instead of allowing only Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), who possessed Health Education or Public Health degree certificates to offer one-year CHO programme, there could be door opening for CHEWs who possessed first degree certificates in; Human Nutrition/Nutrition & Dietetics/Food Science & Technology; Psychology; Anatomy; Physiology; Biochemistry; Social Work; Audiology and many other related ones as may be deemed fit by the CHPRBN.
“These are potential hands that can uplift the community health profession in future. There is obvious brain drain and losing of potential hands to other noble professions.
“It is advisable that the proposed areas of specialization be incorporated into the B.Sc. degree curriculum in CHPRBN collaborated universities as this will prevent future short-coming.
“The CHPRBN is advised to permit, engage and employ CHOs/CHEWs with a first degree in health-related courses with teaching qualifications plus other health-related higher degrees (Master degree/PhD) for the teaching of PGDCHE students.
“This is premised upon the fact that most lecturers from collaborated universities that will be teaching PGDCHE and B.Sc. Community Health Science students possessed higher degrees (Master/degrees/PhD) even without a community health background.
“I perceive that somebody with a community health background plus higher degrees will be more beneficial to community health as a profession.
“It is advisable that the CHPRBN collaborates with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) to be able to register their graduates who possess PGDCHE as professional teachers.
“The fact remains that PGDCHE is expected to be domiciled in the Faculty of Education (not in any other faculty) of any National University Commission (NUC) approved university because PGDCHE is an educational programme.
“Going by education policy, a candidate for PGDCHE must possess a minimum of HND with an NYSC certificate (discharge, exemption or exclusion).
“Possession of TRCN may help Tutors in College of Community Health in Teaching Hospitals to likely benefit from the new scheme of federal teachers which upgraded their retirement age to 65 years or 40 years in service (whichever come first) as approved in 2021. This could be technically pursued if it can work or is applicable.
Oguntunji also said that the viability of areas of specialization as per marketability, employability and prospect is important, adding that contributions of those areas of specialization to the actual profession in both and present times are equally important.
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