This course provides an epidemiological approach to the study of incidence, prevalence and patterns of disease and injury in populations and the application of this study to the control of public health problems. The course will also cover the application of study designs to various questions that may be asked in different health settings in practice or in the field and at the same time examine their strengths and weakness, detailed principle causation, prevention, screening, data presentation, and organization.

This course provides Biostatistical techniques to effectively analyze and interpret health related research data. The course will cover different variables that can be either measured or categorized, or have a statistically significant effect on a population of interest. The course also aims to present concepts, principles and methods of statistics in a clear and understandable manner as possible.

This course develops understanding of the key features of Primary Health Care and competencies in assessment and performance of Pacific Health Care Systems, and contributes to the strengthening of effective health policies and plan.

Human resources management for health services is a neglected topic with little consensus on how it should be done. Many developing countries are improving their short and medium term financial planning and budgetary processes but in the past, few, if any, have given human resource management a similar focus. The following introduces the significance for our Pacific island countries of human resources management for health services.

This course aims to provide health professionals and health workers with a more operational approach to principles and practices applicable to health services management in the Pacific. Important issues such as policy making, how to formulate goals and objectives, roles and responsibilities of various health disciplines in the delivery of health services are the core content of the course. The definition of hospital and categories are discussed and a deep insight of the functional organization and processes and management of wards, theatres, ancillary and allied services are covered. Special topics are introduced based on the needs and trends in the health services department. Topics such as health financing, hospital waste management, infection control, asset management, laundry services and poverty, contracting of services, privatization are covered.