DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROMOTION AND HEALTH EDUCATION
Health Promotion and Health Education (HP & HE) is the process of enabling people to exert control over the determinants of health and thereby improve their health. As a concept and set of practical strategies, it remains an essential guide in addressing the major health challenges including communicable and non-communicable diseases and issues related to human development, faced by developing and developed nations. These issues present an enormous challenge to health. Health Promotion must address population health influences that transcend national boundaries and generations and engage with the development, human rights, and environmental movements. Health Promotion is challenged to be part of efforts of conflict resolution and peacebuilding and all efforts that help to lessen conflicts and confrontations.
Bangladesh is also in a challenging state regarding Public Health issues. Thus, Health Promotion and Health Education became vital for the present and future. Depending upon Government or abroad help is never the solution. We must build up our own skilled manpower and resources to enrich health promotional activities. BUHS felt this urge and put major emphasis in the era by establishing the department of HP & HE.
The department of HP & HE was founded in 2008 at Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences (BIHS) and now it has been incorporated in Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS) from July 2013 under the faculty of Public Health. Under the strong leadership of the Head of the Department, Prof Khurshida Khanom, a total of seven faculty members (one Professor, two Assistant Professors, two Senior Lecturers, and two Lecturers) are belonging in this Department. At present, the Department is conducting a) four years Bachelor of Public Health and b) two years of Masters’ programs.
The mission of the Department of Health Promotion and Health Education is to discover, refine, and facilitate the practical application of strategies that can assist individuals, communities, and societies in adopting and maintaining healthy lifestyles. We work to develop healthy campus communities that support students in reaching their full potential by providing health promotion, education and prevention information, and services. In addition, we are committed to providing student leadership opportunities under the guidance of social justice within a public health framework.
The faculty is committed to the integrated teaching, research and service through a comprehensive process of planning, implementing and evaluating successful health education policies, environments, and practices. More than forty national and international (India, Nepal, and Pakistan) students completed their MPH and MPhil degree successfully from this department and currently working in various reputed national and international organization.
Now the Department of Health Promotion and Health Education of BUHS is ready to welcome all the national and international students for building up their glorious carrier in Public Health.