Education and training has been a cornerstone of Swiss TPH since its foundation. One of our flagship programmes is the Health Care and Management course, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. The Diploma of Advanced Studies in Health Care and Management: From Research to Implementation (DAS HCM) provides international participants with the core competencies for understanding and reacting to health challenges. A unique feature of this course is its international audience, made possible by scholarships through the Swiss TPH Scholarship Fund: In the 2024 edition, the 16 participants represented 9 nationalities. We spoke to three of this year's scholarship recipients and DAS HCM alumni to learn more about their aspirations, key takeaways and the role of scholarships in empowering global health leaders.
 

Hello, thanks for joining us! Please introduce yourself and how you came to study at Swiss TPH.

Alexander Ireland (AI): Hi, I am Alexander Ireland. I am a policy practitioner in the Department of Planning in the Ministry of Health in Liberia. I am passionate about my career as a policy practitioner in health system planning and sector reform, where I aim to deliver high quality health services to the people of Liberia.

I have always aspired to be a policy practitioner and policymaker with global expertise to make maximum impact in the health sector. This inspired my enrolment in the DAS HCM at Swiss TPH, which aligns with my desired career path and provides participants with the skills and knowledge needed to address real-time public health challenges with hands-on experience in the field of healthcare management.

Hajira Ibrahim (HI): My name is Hajira Ibrahim, I am a District Director of Health Services in Ghana. I started as a community health nurse, then studied public health and since worked in different positions in that field, particularly in the area of reproductive, maternal and child health. I applied for the Health Care and Management course at Swiss TPH because I wanted to enhance my management skills and update my research knowledge to conduct operational research in my district and to replicate it in districts facing similar situations.

Waleed Rabbani (WR): I am Waleed Rabbani from Pakistan. My career in public health started with my appointment as Program Manager for the Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH) Prevalence Survey, where I mapped hotspot areas for worm infections in my country. Later, I conducted policy and advocacy, programme planning and management, and monitoring and evaluation with government partners to design the ‘Pakistan Deworming Initiative’, which has dewormed more than 24 million school-age children since its inception. Over time, I became familiar with the various aspects of the programme, making me realise that formal training in healthcare and management would be necessary to equip me with the skills and tools crucial to scaling up public health programmes. This led to my interest in joining the DAS Health Care and Management.

What’s your most valuable takeaway from your education at Swiss TPH?

WR: Participating in the DAS HCM course has led me to fully understand the importance of effective public health initiatives, and I have made it my mission to ensure that primary healthcare is delivered to every citizen’s doorstep, as it is their fundamental right. Based on my studies, I can confidently state that with the right policies and approach, this can be achieved in resource-limited settings by adopting an integrated approach to healthcare delivery.

AI: My time at Swiss TPH served as a gateway to realise and reaffirm my career aspiration and provided a conducive environment for learning and global networking. The most valuable takeaways are the acquisition of knowledge and skills in healthcare management, the interaction with experts from diverse fields, and hands-on experience with real-time data for making informed policy decisions.

HI: I have learnt how to communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and respect cultural dynamics, which will be very applicable in my setting. The course gave me the opportunity to meet, interact and build lasting and valuable networks with people from a variety of backgrounds. The diversity of the students on the course also meant sharing best practices from different countries.

How did the scholarship and your studies at Swiss TPH impact your career path?

HI: The scholarship has offered me the opportunity to enrol in my dream school, which will go a long way to improving my career opportunities. The financial support meant that I could concentrate on my studies and learn without worrying about how to pay my fees. In the end, the scholarship will not only benefit me, but also my district, the communities I serve, and the Ghanaian health service, as the knowledge I acquired can be replicated in other districts.

WR: The DAS HCM has taught me skills in research and advocacy for evidence-based programme design and policies, as well as planning and implementation to ensure efficient healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings. Moreover, it has given me an understanding of the dynamic intricacies of complex healthcare issues and the ability to recommend solutions that are cost-effective, scalable, technically and financially sustainable, and led by the government and the community. I intend to apply these learnings to the ‘Pakistan Deworming Initiative’, ensuring that the programme continues to thrive and becomes fully integrated into the structures of the government.

Coming from an LMIC with limited resources, it would have been difficult for me to study in such a prestigious programme without a scholarship. The diverse cohort, made possible through multiple scholarships, greatly enhanced cross-continental and cross-cultural learning to address the world’s most pressing public health issues.

AI: In the next 2 years, I anticipate moving towards a more global perspective in my career and pursuing further studies to make the world a healthier place. Meanwhile, the advantage of a scholarship is that it sets you apart and provides a perfect opportunity to acquire quality education from a renowned and globally recognised institute like Swiss TPH that I could never have afforded on my own. With this, I strongly believe that “Dreams do come through, and it begins now”.