Lesothos Ministry is responsible for health issues including the development of health policies, standards and guidelines along with mobilization of health resources and evaluation of health sector interventions. Government ministries, academics donors, civil society, private businesses, public stakeholder and consultants are involved improving health outcomes.

Public Health system in Lesotho

The Government of Lesotho funds and supports the fight against diseases like HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria. Due to Lesothos high disease burden, the focus lies in areas of TB, HIV, maternal and child health. The treatment and prevention healthcare services provide disease detection and treatment; address infectious and non-communicable diseases; increases access and coverage of immunization; manage diseases in children; ensure safe motherhood and health of newborns; improve sanitation and hygienic conditions. The other core responsibilities include protecting the environment for future generations; ensuring efficient use of energy resources; supporting cancer, HIV/AIDS patients and returning veterans; improving education facilities; increasing disaster and emergency preparedness; improving access to integrated quality healthcare services; providing clinical mentoring, management support and capacity building; addressing infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, maternal and child health; providing services of reproductive health and family planning to vulnerable children and families. The ultimate goal is to improve communication related to abuse and other public health issues of underserved populations.

Public Health Job Opportunities

Lesothos Ministry of Health at local, district and national level work in collaboration with the development partners, research institutions, health service providers and NGOs (non-governmental Organizations) to provide and promote preventive, curative and rehabilitative care along with organizing immunization efforts and health education gatherings. Health posts are community initiatives with Health Workers supervised to work in Health Centres. Health centres are staffed by doctors, nurses and clinicians that have comprehensive skills and trained in dispensing medicines, preventive and curative care. Health centres offer point of care for immunizations, family planning, preventative and curative services. Healthcare facilities provide medicines and medical care through clinics, private surgeries and pharmacies complemented with skilled nursing and administrative staff. Volunteers include traditional birth attendants, health workers and community based condom distributors.
Laboratory services are provided by specialized laboratory personnel and quality assurance professionals that monitor requirement of standard compliance in health facilities. Health Management Team and staff establish good quality decentralized services and improve the continuum of care. The primary responsibility of nutritionists is development, implementation, reporting, and monitoring nutrition related interventions; improving nutritional status of vulnerable communities and project training. Public Health Specialist (PHS) and advisors formulate policies, strengthen and coordinate all activities related to Lesothos health system. They are familiar with aspects of the health system like finances, governance, human resource, technology and service delivery related to communicable, non-communicable diseases and emerging health challenges of cancer and maternal or child mortality.
Other positions available include physician, nurses, principal investigator, technical experts and advisors, research assistant, communication and financing experts. The positions of disease control director, programme manager, health consultants and project manager support and manage duties and responsibilities of reporting all public health activities. Tasks performed by these experts include managerial like planning, networking, coordinating and reporting or clinical such as mentoring, coaching or teaching.
Lesothos Medical, Dental, Nursing and Pharmacy Council ensure that the professionals undergo training in the areas of nursing, environmental health, medical laboratory technology and pharmacy. Community based facilities and health workers participate and engage in massive training programs. The health training institutions produce quality health workers and experts that work professionally. Along with a degree and training in public health, other qualities required in these experts include team player with strong analytical skills; strong leadership; excellent verbal and written communication skills; problem-solving and decision making capabilities; ability to timely deliver results; social, clinical and public health competence.

Online Course in Public health (MPH)

James Lind Institute (JLI) provides an online program – Master in Public Health (MPH) provides better public health job opportunities.
For more information please visit: www.jliedu.com