KARACHI, Sept 6: The classes of one-year diploma in Health Care Systems Management, newly introduced by the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan for medical and dental students, will begin on Tuesday.

This was announced at a simple ceremony held at the CPSP Karachi premises on Monday. As many as 22 students are enrolled in the first batch, who will be trained to manage the affairs of health care institutions and organizations effectively at all levels.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Fozia Qureshi said that the diploma course was aimed at improving the management of health services organizations and health care system in the country.

HCSM Programme Director Fauzia Hoodbhoy said that the course was designed keeping in view the present and future needs of Pakistan, the gaps in system as well as training that was required to prepare health professionals to assume leadership role in the management of health services.

She said that the programme was a combination of face-to-face teaching as well as supervised learning. "The 36 credit hours diploma programme will include courses on introduction to health care system, managing health care organization, research and survey methodology, epidemiology and biostatistics, computer skills, professional writing, health informatics, health care financial management, hospital management, health care marketing, human resource management and quality in health care," she added.

Ms Hoodbhoy said that the candidates after completing the one-year training would better serve in government and private sectors, teaching institutions, NGOs and international organizations. "It is a unique programme with progress to fellowship qualification, recognized by the CPSP, latest curricular philosophy," she said.

Prof Waheed said that the programme was also aimed at producing advocates of health systems who could influence decision making and bring about a positive change in the current way of working. Programme Director (Operations) Shakeel Ahmed Moghal said that there were full-time health managers in developed countries, which were strongly needed in Pakistan. -PPI