James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2001

TM5552:03

International Health Agencies

Townsville

Prerequisites: TM550220 lectures, 15 hours workshops, 15 hours other contact, 15 hours flexible delivery. November intensive block mode.

Available to students enrolled in a postgraduate program of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine or as approved by the Head of School.

Staff: Professor I Ring.

This subject will cover a range of political, economic and social issues that relate to health and sustainable development. These issues will be related to policies and practices of international organisations and major donor governments. Topics will include: human development and health indicators; political, social and economic determinants of health; the ‘burden of poverty’ in a development context; essential health services – the World Health Organisation’s Primary Health Care approach; major barriers to achieving ‘Health for All’; major players – UN organisations, multinational banks and companies, international government and non-government organisations; appropriate responses – project identification, planning, development, implementation and monitoring.

Learning Objectives:

  1. an understanding of health indicators in the developing country context;
  2. identify how political, social and economic factors contribute to health and health determinants in developing countries;
  3. develop an understanding of the cycle of poverty and how this contributes to morbidity and mortality;
  4. develop broad strategies to address the burden of poverty through appropriate interventions;
  5. understand and be able to apply the WHO primary health care approach to health service delivery;
  6. identify the key government, non-government and international agencies concerned with providing health and development assistance;
  7. analyse the various roles, policies and project design requirements of these agencies;
  8. demonstrate, through experiential learning, competency in project identification, planning, development, implementation and monitoring.

Assessment by in-course presentation, examination, post-course project.