“Public health service should be as fully organized and as universally incorporated into our governmental system as is public education. The returns are a thousand fold in economic benefits, and infinitely more in reduction of suffering and promotion of human happiness.”- Herbert Hoover
Health is an essential aspect of human well-being and economic progress. The beginning of the Covid-19 has showcased India with the mix of challenges of financial and public health. This pandemic is the worst in the history of humankind, and it comes with enormous global challenges which require action on a worldwide level. The current outbreak has clearly shown the requirement for further research and development in a pandemic to prevent such an outbreak in the future.
A good public policy is based on a sound principle when it gives equal importance to the lives and livelihoods of the people of a country. With a population of 1.366 billion, India’s healthcare needs are immense. Advanced levels of healthcare facilities and expertise are concentrated in large cities while there is a dire need for such healthcare facilities and expertise in small cities and rural parts. The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed that an effective and well-functioning personal health data infrastructure could play a key role in public health management and the Indian healthcare system by enabling larger health monitoring, socio-economic studies, equitable resource distribution and effective and timely policy intervention. This initiative is seen as a significant step towards India’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage. It will certainly help in making the Indian healthcare system more categorised, efficient, transparent, and effective.
Why is Public Health & Human Development so Important?
The principal objective of public health is its prevention in nature because it has been said that prevention is better than cure and it is far less expensive than cure. Public health is extremely important for any developed and developing nation as it safeguards that everyone is aware of the health hazards and their consequences in the longer term. Human development depends on the quality of healthcare services that an individual and a community receive through influencing the government’s policies. One of the three dimensions of a human development index is a long and healthy life. Much more depends on the quality and affordable healthcare services and systems.
The current ongoing Covid-19 has compelled the entire world to shift focus on public health and the aspiring public health professionals from their traditional approach where they were investing and giving more importance to the technical and its allied fields. Now there is an almost acceptance that public health could be used as a national security threat and a well-developed country could use this as a biological weapon against another country. During this pandemic, an interest in the field of public health at the undergraduate level has been felt along with the demand for young, aspiring and skilled public health professionals.
We at O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU)are committed to the public and community services and we prepare and equip our students with the same motives. By understanding the need of the young and aspiring health professionals, JGU has launched a very unique course called Bachelor of Public Health (Hons.) through Jindal School of Public Health & Human Development (JSPH). The main objective is to meet the vigorous needs and aspirations of the nation and society through its research and innovation aspects. JGU is known for its research and innovation approach with the help of a multidisciplinary approach.
As it is a new and unique course, the young and aspiring health professionals are likely to have some doubts and confusion. Through this writing, I would like to throw some light on its importance and the career opportunities after B.A. Public Health.
Many would think if it is worth it or not? The Bachelor of Public Health is the most important and one of the few degrees where young and aspiring public health professionals can create a huge impact on people’s health and the economy of a country. It is one of the rewarding and secure jobs as compared to other conventional degrees.
Below is the data[1] for some of the examples of the top public health career which includes:
- Healthcare Administrator, the average salary of $99,730 per year
- Public Health Advisor, the average salary of $68,000 per year
- Public Health Administrator, the average salary of $64,952 per year
- Public Health Analyst, the average salary of $61,404 per year
- Health Educator, the average salary of $46,080 per year
- Community Health Coordinator, the average salary of $44,994 per year
- Community Health Worker, the average salary of $36,890 per year
If a young and aspiring public health professional to have an advanced career in the field of public health, then completing a bachelor’s degree in public health is the right step in the direction of pursuing a master’s degree in public health. In a public health degree programme at the undergraduate level, a young and aspiring public health professional will be knowing how the conditions and circumstances in the places where people live, learn and grow and how that affect their healthcare and its outcomes. You will get to know and learn very closely about the interventions which a public health professional which increases the health outcomes at the ground level. Additionally, Bachelor of Public Health course at JGU will enable them to learn and know the environmental impact on human health, and how a policy and sets of data can play a significant role in transforming the health of populations to prevent a future’s pandemic.
Why choose JGU for Bachelor of Public Health (Hons.) degree?
JGU is India’s No.1 University dedicated to the Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities. We train and teach tomorrow’s public health professionals and leaders who can lead the nation and society as and when required. The students of Bachelor of Public Health degree at the Jindal School of Public Health and Human Development (JSPH) will be prepared to carry out a positive and impactful change through engaging opportunities with the excellent and topmost educated faculty, access to innovation and community-based learning. The faculty members at the JSPH are trained medical professionals and have worked with national and international governments across the world.
JSPH is building partnerships with relevant institutions, including the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), the Human Development and Capabilities Association (HDCA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and other schools of public health in different countries, to establish joint courses and research projects with partners. It will also develop opportunities for students to spend a semester abroad as part of exchange programmes[2].
Another distinct feature and advantage of studying Bachelor of Public Health degree at JSPH is that you will have access and chance to learn and study psychology and its allied domain at the Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences (JIBS) from distinguished and certified scholars and professors. It is headed by the renowned personality Prof. (Dr.) Sanjeev P. Sahni. When you study Public Health then it is of utmost necessity to study community mental health and leadership and its changing aspects. In this context, JIBS have two dedicated research centres which are the Centre for Leadership & Change and the Centre for Community Mental Health. The young and aspiring public health professional will not get such a golden opportunity anywhere else across the Country.
“I sincerely hope that you will make the best use of this amazing opportunity to pursue studies in public health at a Global University. I am confident that the outstanding faculty of JSPH will inspire and motivate you to work hard and engage in rigorous academic work reflecting a sense of passionate commitment to achieving excellence,” says Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU).
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The article and creatives are curated by Content, and Advertising & Digital Strategy (ADS) Team of O.P. Jindal Global University.
[1] https://www.regiscollege.edu/blog/public-health/public-health-degree-worth-it-3-things-consider
[2] https://jgu.edu.in/jsph/bachelor-of-public-health-partnerships/
