Induction Course for Environmental Health Officers

By James Mtonga (EHO) Ntchisi DHO, Class Representative

As a requirement and an integral part of government policy, Civil Servants get and induction course as soon as they are recruited. Though this is a requirement, Environmental Health Officers were not being accorded this course until last year when the first group went for induction. This year the second group was also given an opportunity to undergo the same. It is hoped that this trend will continue.

The aim of an induction courses is to guide new recruits on how government systems operate.

The training was held at Mpemba Staff Development Institute (SDI) in Blantyre, covering a period of four weeks.  The course commenced on the 27th June and finished on 22nd July 2011.  The course attracted a total 34 Environmental Health staff (Environmental Health Officers and Assistant Environmental Health Officers) from various District Health Offices across the country.

A number of important subjects were lined up that made up the curriculum to reflect the needs of the civil servants in realms of regulatory frameworks such as The Malawi Public Service Regulations (MPSR), Team Building, Work Place Ethics, Monitoring and Evaluation of Public Health Interventions as a strategy for preventing communicable diseases.  Through the induction, it is expected environmental health officers will go a long way in helping the government to achieve health related millennium goals by the year 2015.

During the course, participants had also a chance to get a lecture on Environmental Health Professional Development that was presented by Mr. Young Samanyika, President of MEHA. It was interesting and an eye opener to learn the differences between academic qualifications and professional qualifications and how one can become a true professional.

The course was well organized and all participants thanked the Ministry Of Health for organizing such a course for EH Staff. However participants recommend that future course should include Information Technology as one of the module considering the emerging trends on globalization. The course should also incorporate important strategic public health issues so that environmental health officers could become more proactive in providing preventive health services through the inclusion of public health core modules as well as public relations.

List of Environmental Health Course Participants

       Name                                                              Work place

1. Austin Chinoko                                        Rumphi DHO
2. Nyuma Mfune                                           Rumphi DHO
3. Thomas Mchipa                                       Mchinji DHO
4. Hilda Kalonga                                          Zomba DHO
5. Jussie Nyirenda                                      Chitipa DHO
6. Janet Nkhoma                                         Balaka DHO
7. Maurice Mponda                                      Thyolo DHO
8. Chinsinsi Chipatso                                 Neno DHO
9. Aggrey Simika                                          Thyolo DHO
10. Chimwemwe Jella                                   Mzimba (S) DHO
11. Jimmy Muwawa                                        Mulanje DHO
12. Sterner Msamila                                       Mangochi DHO
13. Andreson Botomani                                 Dedza DHO
14. Francis Mabedi                                         Phalombe DHO
15. Francis Chipewa                                      Machinga DHO
16. Penjani Chunda                                       Chiradzulu DHO
17. Samson Kumphale                                 Dowa DHO
18. Phonex Nguwo                                         Nsanje DHO
19. Frackson Shaba                                      Balaka DHO
20. Paul Chiwenkha                                      Karonga DHO
21. Grey Phiri                                                  Zomba DHO
22. Kondwani Muheka                                  Mulanje DHO
23. Alinafe Hauya                                          Blantyre DHO
24. Noel Khunga                                           Salima DHO
25. Linda Matiya                                            Lilongwe DHO
26. James Mtonga                                        Ntchisi DHO
27. Rudolf Banda                                          Kasungu DHO
28. Livison Thomas                                     Mangochi DHO
29. Alexander Mwangonde                         Mzimba (N) DHO
30. Robson Kaira                                         Nkhotakota DHO
31. Ellen Ndhlovu                                         Nkhatabay DHO
32. Hamid Mponda                                      Chikwawa DHO
33. Madalitso Mmanga                                Ntcheu DHO
34. Patrick Chima                                         Mzimba (N) DHO

TOPICS COVERED

•  Contemporary issues in Environmental Health& best practices
•  Procurement of Goods Services procedures inministryof Health
•  Environmental health Professional development (Young Samanyika)
•  Machinery& operation of the Ministry of Health
•  MalawiGrowth & Development Strategy (MGDS)
•  Disaster preparedness &Risk Management
•  Health systeme and basics of Management
•  District/Central Hospital management
•  Health management information system
•  Conlict management and resolution
•  Team building and group dynamics
•  National Health transport policy
•  Public Financial management
•  Government correspondence
•  Human resource for Health
•  Perfamance management
•  Service Ethics and Ettiquette
•  Effective Communication
•  Gender mainstreaming
•  Records Management
•  Effective supervision
•  Management Ethics
•  Crisis management
•  Administrative Law
•  Pablic Procurement
•  Corrupt Practices
•  Customer Care
•  MPSR/PSCR