As part of the TTHSI, several options have been reviewed for expanding training and education options for Health Administrators and Health Leaders in Trinidad and Tobago. Within this framework a Masters in Health Administration (MHA) – which will be delivered by UTT – has been identified as the central component of a comprehensive education programme. At present there are no formal management/leadership academic programmes available locally for mid-level and senior managers which focus on the requirements of the health sector. In fact several existing reports point to the absence of formal qualifications as being a constraining factor in the ability of the sector to deliver responsive and appropriate services.
In September 2007, UTT introduced the MHA as part of its academic offering, organised around established principles and practices in the following key areas:
Leadership
Management
Health systems
Health Operations Management and Health Sector Planning and Quality
The three-year programme is initially being offered on a part-time basis with preference being given to applicants presently employed in the sector. This eliminates the challenge of having participants being absent from their positions over a prolonged period in an environment already constrained with shortages. It is anticipated that the programme will transition to a full time delivery in 2010, and be one of many offerings within a Centre for Health Sciences and Biomedical Studies at the University of Trinidad and Tobago.
