Department of Health Policy and Management

Home > Institute of Health > Department of Health Policy and Management

Background
Department of Health Policy and Management is one of the 6 departments in the Faculty of Public Health under Institute of Health of Jimma University. The Department’s former name was Health Service Management. It was established in 1988 under Community Health Programs to provide health service management, health ethics, and health economics courses to first degree health science students. Later on, based on the need assessment, the department opened postgraduate program in Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Service Management specialty in 2005. It further opened Master of Science (MSc) in Health Monitoring and Evaluation program in collaboration with Tulane University in 2007 and Master of Healthcare and Hospital Administration (MHA) in collaboration with Yale University in 2008. 
Currently, the department runs the following five postgraduate programs at masters’ level and has finalized all the requirements to open a PhD program in Health Systems and Policy in 2021/22 Academic Year (2014 E.C): 

  1. Master of Public Health in Health Service Management (MPH in HSM)
  2. Master of Science in Health Monitoring and Evaluation (MSc in HME)
  3. Master of Healthcare and Hospital Administration (MHA)
  4. Master of Science in Health Economics (MSc in H/Econ)
  5. Master of Science in Human Resource Management for Health (MSc in HRMH)

We deliver the programs at various locations, namely, in the main campus, Addis Ababa campus, and Hargiesa campus. Besides, the department offers health service management, health monitoring and evaluation, health ethics and public health laws, and health economics for first and second degree health science students in the main campus.
The department has now reached a high level of performance involving thirty seven academic staff; among whom four are PhD holders. Seven PhD fellows, 24 master degree holders, and only two master students. On top of this, the department currently has 6 associate professors, 11 assistant professors, 18 lecturers, and 2 assistant lecturers.
The department intended to produce a community based task oriented high caliber professionals in the aforementioned masters programs. The programs are part of health sector transformation program that aims at producing capable and qualified health system managers and specialists who can effectively and efficiently run health programs and provide decisive leadership to health service organizations and related health care institutions. We believe that by producing well trained health service managers, evaluators, and specialists in health care administration, health economists, and health human resource managers, the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the health service delivery of the country will improve. Moreover, the programs provide opportunities for students and staff to engage in applied research and consultancy services on key health system issues of the country to promote the development of professional management in the health sector.
Mission
The department is committed to engaging in core functions of innovative teaching, research, and community services through its cherished and innovative Community Based Education (CBE), specifically in producing high quality professionals in health service management and leadership, monitoring and evaluation, healthcare and hospital administrations, health economics and healthcare financing, and human resource management studies.
Vision 
Aspiring to be one of the leading Community-based research department in management, leadership and program evaluation in Africa and renowned in the world.

Objective
The department intended to produce a community based task oriented high caliber professionals in health service management, monitoring and evaluation, hospital administration, health economics, and human resource management. All the programs are part of healthcare transformation plan that aims at producing capable and qualified health service managers who can effectively run and provide decisive leadership to health service organizations and related health care institutions. We believe that by producing well trained graduates, the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the health service delivery of the country will improve. Moreover, the program provides opportunities for students and staff to engage in applied research and consultancy activities on key health system issues of the country to promote the development of professional management in the health sector.
Past performance
The department has graduated and deployed more than 650 high caliber well qualified and disciplined masters’ graduates in health service management and evaluators to the health sector and related institutions since its establishment. 
So far we graduated and deployed 172 MPH graduates in Health Service Management, 280 MSc graduates in Health Monitoring & Evaluation, 143 Master graduates of Healthcare and Hospital Administration, 30 MSc in Health Economics, and 30 MSc graduates in Health Human Resource Management in both regular and extension programs.
Admission criteria to join in the masters programs 
To be admitted to the masters programs in the department; an applicant must have:- 

  • Either a bachelor degree in health sciences; or diploma in health science fields and degree in management or economics from recognized universities; or

The following additional requirements should be fulfilled:

  1. A minimum of two years of services in public or private health institutions after obtaining the first degree
  2. Evidence of letter of sponsorship from his/her employers or financial evidence to cover cost of tuition and research project for self-sponsored applicants. 
  3. Three letters of recommendation either from the instructors and/or employers.
  4. Passing the entrance examination of the Faculty.
  5. Fulfil other relevant criteria required by the University
No.Items
1.       Name of the department
 · Health Policy and Management
2.      Year of establishment and  who  were the heads so far
 ·   The Department was established in 1988 under community Health Program·   Heads (from the current to earliest)1.     Mr. Shimeles Ololo (2008 to 2021)2.     Dr. Fitsum Girma (2007 to 2008)3.     Prof. Chali Jira (1988 to 2007)
3.      Progress so far (before  and after starting graduate, post graduate programs ) ,
 ·   The 1st master’s program opened was MPH-HSM in 2006 with only four students.·  Nearly two years later, the 2nd program was opened (i.e. MSc-HME) with 31 students·  Currently, we have 5 regular graduate programs, and 1 Weekend M&E, 1 summer M&E, and 1 weekend MPH_HSM program at Hargeisa Campus with a total of 120 students per year.
4.      The current programs under the department and when did they start each program they currently run
 ·Currently we have the following five masters’ programs.Ø MPH in Health Service Management in 2004 (1997 E.C)Ø MSc in Health Monitoring and Evaluation in 2008 (1998 E.C)Ø Master of Healthcare & Hospital Administration (MHA) in 2007 (2000 E.C)Ø MSc in Health Economics in 2014 (2007 E.C)Ø MSc in Human Resource Management for Health in 2014 (2007 E.C)
5.      The courses currently being delivered both at undergraduate and above and even across the university
 ·   Introductory Health Service Management, Introductory Health Economics, Health Ethics & Public Health laws for all masters’ students·  Advanced Health Service Management, Hospital Management, Health Policy and Planning, Advanced Health Economics, Introduction to M&E for MPH-HSM specialty students.·  Introduction to Monitoring and Evaluation, Priority Health Programs, Monitoring Health Programs, Introductory Health Economics, Evaluability Assessment & Process Evaluation, Outcome & Impact Evaluation, Economic Evaluation, Meta-Evaluation and Research Ethics for MSc in Health Monitoring & Evaluation specialty students.· Health Service Management, Scientific Problem Solving & Quality Improvement, health care financing, Health Economics, Human Resource Development & Leadership, Policy Analysis, Health Ethics & Public Health Laws, Strategic Management, Executive Practice-I & II for Master of Healthcare & Hospital Administration (MHA)·  Economic Theory and the Health Sector, Health Care Financing, Econometric Analysis of Health Data, Economic Evaluation, Project Management, and Policy Analysis for MSc in Health Economics students·   Human Resource Planning and Development, Motivation and Retention of Human Resource for Health, Performance Management for HRH, and Human Resources Policy and Legislation for Health for MSc in Human Resource Management for Health students.·  Principles and Practice in Public Health, Communication and partnership, and Leadership, Management & Governance for both MSc in Health Economics MSc in Human Resource Management for Health students·  HSM, Health Economics, Health Ethics & Legal Medicine, M&E, and Project Management for undergraduate students