A Georgia Institute of Public Health

Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University
Ministry of Health and Social Welfare

Purpose: to train a cadre of visionary public health professionals and leaders, taking advantages of new paradigms for public health and new communications technologies.

Goals:

To develop a free standing organization, the Georgia Institute of Public Health (GIPH) linked administratively to the Ministry of Health (MOH), but autonomous in function.

To build capacity and support health systems development by leveraging the power of modern telecommunications technology to provide world-class quality public health education and training in Georgia.

To develop an electronic network of Georgians formally trained in public health, both inside and outside the country of Georgia.

To develop a core portfolio of core proficiencies and skills required by the new public health workforce in Georgia

Background:

The vision for health in Georgia articulated in the Strategic Health Plan of Georgia 2000-2009 requires a strong public health system and a cadre of visionary public health professionals and leaders. This proposal is aimed at training/educating the next generation of Georgian public health professionals in a manner consonant with the vision, taking advantage of new paradigms for public health globally and new communications technologies.

The cornerstone of the proposal is the development of the Georgia Institute of Public Health (GIPH). The GIPH would be a free standing organization, linked administratively to the Ministry of Health, but autonomous in function, so that linkages can be made easily with all players in the health and social sectors who comprise the public health community in Georgia. The objective of the GIPH is to build capacity and support health systems development by leveraging the power of modern telecommunications technology to provide world-class quality public health education and training in Georgia. To do this, the organization of the GIPH must be dynamic and flexible, able to build virtual communities of public health talent, both inside and outside Georgia. Public health is, by predilection and necessity, multidisciplinary. The challenges inherent in increasing the health status of Georgians and in designing a health care system responsive to the needs and expectations of Georgians will be most responsive to public health action and advocacy from individuals trained in a multidisciplinary environment. Public health concerns include: threats to the environment, changing patterns of individual behavior change and risk, a badly failing medical care system, perverse health care financing, lax regulatory and quality standards, the reemergence of diseases formerly contained, emerging new infections, an aging population, and a fundamental shift in the burden of disease. These call for creative and sustained public health interventions based on a population perspective. Educating and training public health professionals to take the lead in this new health care world is the goal of the GIPH.

Milestones:

1. Develop an electronic network of Georgians formally trained in public health, both inside and outside Georgia. Limited current opportunities in Georgia have produced a cadre of well-trained professionals with MPH degrees who are now living in the U.S. Most are young, with a strong desire to return to Georgia and to contribute to the development of a strong health care system. We have an email list of approximately 20 Georgians here in the U.S. who have an MPH or are currently in training. Facing reality, the network would engage these professionals while they are outside Georgia to apply their energy and creativity to mapping out the new public health in Georgia. The network would be linked with public health professionals in Georgia, both in Tbilisi and outside, to decrease their professional isolation and to provide encouragement and new ideas for them as they pursue their work.

2. Develop a portfolio of core proficiencies and skills required by the new public health workforce in Georgia. Based on the portfolio, design a set of academic courses and training modules to be offered by distance learning from the RSPH, on site in Georgia and on the Web as virtual courses. The portfolio would be arrayed such that individuals could take the modules for continuing education or as building blocks for a certificate and/or degree in public health. This will require substantial collaboration with our partners in Georgia, including the MOH, the NGO community, professional organizations, and the donor community. Implementing this portfolio approach to training also requires the necessary technical infrastructure to allow students and professionals inexpensive and accessible Internet access.

3. Sponsor a scientific conference every other year, modeled on the EIS Conference, which specifically addresses current, emerging and future public health issues in Georgia. The Conference would be held in Georgia with major participation by U.S. based Georgians, either in person or by videoconference. This conference would focus on evidence-based public health policy with the purpose to build the public health scientific community, for students to have an opportunity to present their research, and for policy makers to interact with the public health community.

4. Create a public health library building on the capability of the National Informational Learning Centre already established in Georgia.

Deliverables:

Agreement with the MOH specifying the organizational structure and legal status of the GIPH

A formal organization of young people inside and outside Georgia who have received public health training outside of Georgia
Portfolio of core proficiencies and skills required by the new public health workforce in Georgia.

A set of academic courses and training modules to be offered by distances learning from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University

A scientific conference every other year, modeled on the yearly Epidemiology Intelligence Service conference of the National Centers for Disease Control

A public health library resource center based on the National Information Learning Center.

Budget:

CONTACT

Deborah McFarland dmcfarl@sph.emory.edu

Carlos Del Rio cdelrio@emory.edu

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