Community Health

The Department of Community Health trains students to become Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), who are skilled in delivering primary healthcare services at the community level. The programme equips students with knowledge and practical skills in disease prevention, health promotion, environmental sanitation, maternal and child health, nutrition, and community mobilization.

Graduates are prepared to work in government healthcare facilities, non-governmental organizations, and community-based health initiatives, contributing to improved public health outcomes across Nigeria. The training emphasizes hands-on field experience, laboratory practice, and community engagement, ensuring students can apply their knowledge effectively in real-world health settings.

The ND Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW) programme aims to:

1. Produce competent community health practitioners capable of delivering primary healthcare services.

2. Equip students with skills in health promotion, disease prevention, and basic clinical procedures.

3. Train graduates to assess community health needs, plan and implement health programs, and mobilize community participation.

4. Develop practical competence in environmental sanitation, nutrition, maternal and child health, and communicable disease control.

5. Prepare students for employment, entrepreneurship, or further professional studies in public health.

The Department of Community Health was established to meet Nigeria’s need for qualified middle-level healthcare professionals capable of supporting primary healthcare delivery. Since its inception, the department has focused on producing graduates who are technically competent, ethically responsible, and socially aware, ready to address public health challenges in rural and urban communities.

The department operates under NBTE guidelines and aligns its curriculum with the Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria (CHPRBN) standards.

The ND Community Health Extension Worker programme is accredited in line with NBTE minimum standards and approved for the award of the National Diploma (ND).

Graduation requirements include:

• Successful completion of six semesters (3 years) of academic and practical training.

• Achievement of a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.0.

• Participation in supervised community and fieldwork attachments, ensuring real-world competency.

Upon completion, graduates are qualified to work as Community Health Extension Workers, providing essential healthcare services and supporting government and non-governmental health initiatives.