Welcome to HCMO 3216: Public Health Care, Policy and Planning. This course will equip you with advanced competencies to analyse, plan, lead, implement and evaluate Primary Health Care policies, programmes and services within Kenya’s devolved health system.

You will explore the principles of Primary Health Care, Universal Health Coverage and health-systems thinking. You will examine how Kenya’s health system is organized, including national and county responsibilities, Primary Care Networks, community health units, referral systems and partnerships among public, private and faith-based providers.

Throughout the course, you will learn how to assess population health needs, identify inequities, prioritize health problems and develop strategic and operational health plans. You will also apply principles of health financing, budgeting, resource allocation, monitoring and evaluation, quality improvement and evidence-informed decision-making.

Through policy analysis, planning workshops, budgeting exercises, case studies and county health-data activities, you will strengthen your ability to engage stakeholders, lead multisectoral action and design resilient, equitable and people-centred Primary Health Care services. The course will enable you to connect clinical priorities, including oncology and palliative care, with broader health policy and system-planning decisions.

Welcome to HCM 3201: Adolescent Reproductive Health. This course will equip you with advanced knowledge, clinical reasoning and professional competencies for providing comprehensive, evidence-informed and adolescent-responsive sexual and reproductive healthcare.

You will explore the biological, psychological and social dimensions of adolescence and examine how these influence reproductive health needs, behaviours and outcomes. You will learn how to conduct confidential, developmentally appropriate clinical and psychosocial assessments and manage common concerns related to puberty, menstruation, contraception, adolescent pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and HIV.

The course will also strengthen your ability to recognize and respond to sexual and gender-based violence, reproductive coercion, harmful practices and safeguarding concerns. You will examine consent, confidentiality, adolescent rights and the ethical and legal responsibilities of healthcare professionals within the Kenyan context.

Through clinical cases, simulations, role plays, guideline appraisal and community-based learning, you will develop the skills required to communicate effectively with adolescents, support informed decision-making and design accessible, equitable and adolescent-responsive reproductive health services.

Welcome to HNS 3113: Ethics and Law in Health Care. This course will help you develop advanced competence in ethical reasoning, legal accountability and professional decision-making within nursing and healthcare practice in Kenya.

Throughout the course, you will explore major ethical theories and principles and learn how to apply structured reasoning to complex clinical, community, institutional and policy dilemmas. You will examine professional codes, Kenyan health laws and regulatory standards governing nursing practice, including legal accountability, negligence, malpractice, scope of practice and documentation.

You will also learn how to address issues involving patient rights, informed consent, decision-making capacity, confidentiality, vulnerable populations, reproductive care, end-of-life care and public health. The course further introduces ethical and legal questions arising from research, digital health, artificial intelligence and emerging healthcare technologies.

Through interactive lectures, case discussions, debates, simulations and reflective activities, you will strengthen your ability to make defensible decisions, advocate for patients and demonstrate integrity, ethical leadership and professional accountability in practice.

Concepts of Community Health provides learners with a foundational understanding of how health is created, protected, and promoted within populations. The course explores key determinants of health, principles and components of Primary Health Care (PHC), levels of disease prevention, health promotion strategies, environmental and social influences on health, and the process of community diagnosis. Students will analyse how communities’ function, how health needs are identified, and how public health interventions are designed to address priority problems. This course equips learners with the essential knowledge and attitudes required to participate effectively in community health practice, surveillance, and health promotion activities.

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Define and explain core concepts related to community health, public health, and population-based care.
2. Describe the social, economic, environmental, and cultural determinants of health and how they influence community well-being.
3. Explain the principles and components of Primary Health Care (PHC) and their application in improving health outcomes.
4. Differentiate between levels of disease prevention and apply them to real-world health scenarios.
5. Conduct a basic community diagnosis, including data collection, analysis, and identification of priority health problems.
6. Describe health promotion strategies and their role in preventing disease and enhancing wellness.
7. Analyze the role of community participation, equity, and intersectoral collaboration in achieving improved health outcomes.
8. Apply community health concepts to design or support simple, evidence-based interventions.

 Course Objectives

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

Knowledge Objectives

1. Identify and define key terms used in community health.
2. Describe the historical development of community health and public health.
3. Outline the functions, principles, and goals of community health services.
4. Explain determinants of health and their interaction within communities.
5. Discuss the structure of health systems and PHC approaches.

Skills Objectives

1. Apply the steps of community diagnosis to assess community health needs.
2. Analyze community data to identify health problems and contributing factors.
3. Develop simple health promotion messages and interventions.
4. Demonstrate basic competence in community-based communication and engagement.

Attitudinal / Professional Objectives

1. Appreciate the importance of equity, participation, and empowerment in community health practice.
2. Demonstrate ethical and culturally sensitive approaches when working with communities.
3. Value collaboration and multi-sectoral participation in improving community health.

Assessment Plan

The assessment strategy is designed to evaluate foundational knowledge, analytical skills, and practical application.

1. Continuous Assessment (30%)

2. Final Examination (70%)

Welcome to Demography and Population Studies, a foundational course that explores the dynamics of human populations and their profound impact on our world. This course provides you with the analytical tools to understand how population size, structure, and change influence critical areas such as public health, economic development, environmental sustainability, and social policy.

You will move beyond simple headcounts to learn how births, deaths, and migration shape nations and communities. This knowledge is essential for anyone pursuing a career in public health, healthcare administration, policy-making, development work, or social research.

What You Will Learn

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

1. Define key demographic concepts and explain their significance in health and social sciences.
2. Calculate and interpret fundamental demographic measures, including ratios, rates, and proportions.
3. Analyze the sources of demographic data, such as censuses and vital registration systems, and evaluate their strengths and limitations.
4. Describe the components of population change: fertility, mortality, and migration.
5. Interpret population pyramids and age-sex structures to assess a population's growth potential and future needs.
6. Explain major population theories, including the Demographic Transition Model.
7. Evaluate how population policies are developed and implemented to address national challenges.
8. Discuss the wide-ranging impacts of population growth on health, socio-economic development, and the environment.

Key Topics Covered

• Fundamentals of Demography: Definitions, importance, and uses in health and economic planning.
• Demographic Data & Measurement: Sources (Census, Vital Registration, Surveys) and core calculations (Ratios, Proportions, Rates).
• Population Structure & Composition: Analyzing age, sex, dependency ratios, and geographic distribution.
• Determinants of Population Change: In-depth study of fertility, mortality, and migration patterns.
• Population Dynamics: Growth forms (Exponential vs. Sigmoid) and population projections.
• Population Age-Sex Pyramids: Interpreting different shapes (Pyramidal, Rectangular, Urn-shaped) and their implications.
• The Demographic Transition Theory: The historical shift from high to low birth and death rates across four stages.
• Population Policies: How governments influence population size, growth, and distribution to achieve development goals.
• Population and Development: Exploring the interrelationships between population growth, health, the environment, and socio-economic development.

Course Facilitator

This course is facilitated by Dr. Dennis Butto. For any questions regarding the course content, structure, or requirements, please make contact via the LMS messaging system or at the following email address:

Email: dbutto@healthlitkenya

Who Is This Course For?

This course is ideally suited for:

• Students in Health Sciences, Nursing, Public Health, and Medicine.
• Students of Sociology, Economics, Development Studies, and Urban Planning.
• Government officials, policy analysts, and researchers.
• Anyone seeking to understand the powerful role population trends play in shaping global and local challenges.