COMMUNITY HEALTH

A community health course trains learners on how to improve public health and  community well-being. It covers topics such as disease patterns, health service administration, and community dynamics. The community health curriculum offered at Commonwealth is approved by TVETA and examined by TVET-CDACC. 

The course is offered in level 4 (craft), 5 (certificate) and 6 (diploma).

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

• Level 4 – Mean grade of D
• Level 5 Mean grade of D plain
• Level 6 Mean grade of C

In addition to community health, a student can choose to major in different aspects which require a combination of an additional course. These are HIV/AIDS management or Community development. In both of these cases the program would be named as below
a) Community health and Development
b) Community Health and HIV/AIDS management

A. Community health and development

Community health and development” refers to a field that focuses on improving the health of a community by addressing social, environmental, and behavioral factors that influence health, often through collaborative efforts with community members to empower them and create sustainable changes, including access to healthcare, health education, and social services within their environment; essentially, it aims to not just treat illnesses but prevent them by promoting healthy lifestyles and addressing the root causes of health disparities within a community. All students undertaking this curriculum will be examined by two examination bodies: CDACC – Community health, KNEC – Community development.

B. Community health and HIV/AIDS management

HIV/AIDS management courses teach students how to prevent, manage, and support people living with HIV/AIDS. Courses cover topics such as testing, counseling, treatment, and community education. When combined with community health, an individual is effectively able to work in disease prevention, treatment and management of HIV /AIDS programs. The student will undertake two examinations under CDACC for
community health and for HIV/AIDS management. 

Places of work

• Hospitals
• Community health extension workers
• NGO as community health mobilizers, Peer counselors, HIV AIDS program
  coordinators, Monitoring and Evaluation officers, Community health Program
  managers, research assistants
• Health Education and Promotion
• Mental health facilities
• Residential care facilities
• Detoxification centers
• Geriatric-related facilities
• Correctional facilities
• Trainers in TVET college

Career growth

A career in community health can progress through increased responsibility within roles like Community Health Worker (CHW), Community health assistants, community health officer moving towards positions like Care Coordinator, Health Educator, Community Outreach Specialist, Public Health Advocate, or even Program Manager, depending on education and experience, allowing for greater leadership and policy influence within community health initiatives. A person is able to advance their education from Level craft level 4, certificate level 5, Diploma level 6, Degree, Masters and PHD.