There is lack of capacity in health management, economics and policy in Nigeria and most sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. There is also the lack of adequately trained as well as academically equipped health management professionals to man management positions in the ministries of health, health organizations and services in Nigeria. These imply that the country and actually most of the countries in the SSA sub-region lack the capacity for health system analysis; health system management; health economics and policy; and overall health management techniques. These are essential skills that are required to improve the health system and ensure that the country attains and sustains the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), institutionalize an efficient and equitable health sector reform programme and ultimately improve the health status of the people and move towards Universal Health Coverage [UHC]. Evidence show that the greatest problem preventing appropriate delivery of care, improved access to care and the financial viability of the health system has been the scarcity of trained and seasoned health care managers. Evidence also indicates increasing need for trained health economists/managers by the civil society organizations in attempt at reforming and improving the Nigerian health system. As a result, it has become necessary and important to provide relevant professional training in order to develop health management experts and health economists with high academic and professional skills to provide effective leadership in the health services delivery at both the public and private health sectors The phenomenon of lack of management acumen within our healthcare system has become so obvious that persons heading our health institutions and healthcare services are hardly versed in the realm of health management, economics and policy for that matter, resulting in poor, ineffectual and uncoordinated healthcare delivery system. This is partly one of the reasons that the Nigerian healthcare system was ranked by the World Health Organization in 2000 to be one of the worst in the world. The demand for health managers and administrators has been on the increase since the recent health reform programmes engaged at various governmental levels and partly sponsored by the international community commenced. Up until recently, both public and private health institutions were being managed by non-professional health managers, hence the enduring crisis of misallocation of resources, lack of adequate health planning and diagnosis that has plagued the National healthcare delivery system. The manpower need for Health Economists as well as Health Systems and Policy Analysts also has remained on the increase especially with the recent health reform programmes in Nigeria and the rest of
G.C. Okoye MBBS(Lagos), PhD Bio-Engineering Senior Lecturers S.C. Ibeneme BMR(PT), MSc, PhD(Nig.) Clinical Gait Analysis A.O. Ezeukwu BMR(PT), MSc(Ibadan), PhD(Benin) Orthopaedic/Sports Physiotherapy and Exercise Physiology Lecturer I C.I. Ezema BMR(PT), MSc, PhD(Nig.), PhD(EBSU) Neurological Physiotherapy and Exercise Physiology INTRODUCTION The Department of Medical Rehabilitation offers postgraduate programmes leading to Master of Science (MSc), MSc/PhD and PhD in Physiotherapy. Postgraduate programmes in other areas of Medical Rehabilitation are being developed. PHILOSOPHY The philosophy of the programme is to position the Postgraduate Physiotherapy programme to produce world-class, knowledgeable, competent and educated men and women with advanced skills for professional services to their environment. OBJECTIVE: The Postgraduate Physiotherapy programme of the Department of Medical Rehabilitation is designed to develop in-depth knowledge and advanced research and clinical skills in an approved specialised area of physiotherapy (subject to the availability of sufficient supervisory expertise in that area). A key fulcrum of this is to develop and maintain sound evidence-based knowledge in physiotherapy, to develop innovative thinking and problem-solving abilities, to develop proficiency in data collection and interpretation of results, to gain independence in research and scientific writing skills, to investigate and utilise funding opportunities, to disseminate research findings, including publications in peer-reviewed international scientific journals and presentations at local and international conferences