NEW/REPLACEMENT NARRATIVE

This activity was first funded in COP08, and includes funding for twinning between a western or African

School of Public Health (SPH) to twin with the University of Namibia (UNAM) to build on UNAM's existing

MPH program

CDC Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) CDC-RFA-PS09-908 will provide the mechanism for open

competition and selection of the prime partner for this activity. This FOA closed on October 21, 2008 and

will likely be awarded in December 2008. Once the award is made, representatives from the US

Government (USG), the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN), the University of Namibia (UNAM),

and the selected twin will refine a detailed scope of work, objectives, and timelines.

The selected SPH will partner with the University of Namibia (UNAM) to build on the existing MPH program

at that institution to develop a master's level program in public health leadership, along with certificate

programs in strategic information and nutrition. Human resources capacity development for the health

sector has been identified as a major gap in Namibia's ability to turn the tide of the HIV epidemic. While the

USG supports the Ministry of Health and Social Services to provide bursaries for Namibians to attend

medical, pharmacy and medical technologist schools, more effort needs to be concentrated on building

academic institutions in Namibia in order to ensure sustainability and reduce costs.

In Namibia, there is a clear lack of personnel who have received formal education in public health concepts

and practices to serve as current and future leaders of Namibia's public health system. Often, persons in

high level positions supporting HIV prevention, care and treatment programming in-county are non-

Namibians. With PEPFAR support, this activity will subsidize or defray tuition for up to 50 qualified

Namibians each year. The leadership program will focus on developing core knowledge, skills and abilities

with the goal of producing graduates who can move into mid- and high-level positions within the national

and regional governments, bilateral and multilateral organizations, and non-governmental organizations

including grassroots organizations.

Coursework in the public health leadership program will include an overview of current issues in public

health, with an emphasis on the diseases and conditions most affecting Namibia and sub-Saharan Africa;

fiscal, personnel and resource management; gender issues; monitoring and evaluation; basic epidemiology;

health policy; technical writing; negotiation skills; advocacy, public relations and community mobilization;

and social marketing. The selected SPH will be expected to assist UNAM with curriculum development,

provide faculty to teach alongside UNAM instructors, secure equipment, and promote and evaluate the

program.

Alongside the MPH degree program in public health leadership, a diploma or certificate program will be

developed and offered in clinical nutrition and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). While short-term strategies

are supported by the USG and MOHSS to address the serious human resources gaps and capacity

constraints in clinical nutrition and HIV, there is a need to support longer-term, sustainable solutions. This

activity will strengthen the public health program at the local university and result in a cadre of certified

Namibian professionals with a high level of nutritional knowledge who will fulfill the consistent clinical

nutrition human resource gaps for the MOHSS and other line Ministries, NGO and private sector partners.

Program emphasis will be placed on clinical nutrition assessment, monitoring and rehabilitation of severe

acute malnutrition, expanded safe infant and young child feeding education, effective nutritional

management with ART and HIV-related symptoms through both theory-based learning and practicum-based

learning modules.

These funds will further go to offer an M&E diploma or certificate curriculum at UNAM. The program will

continue to engage the Response, Monitoring and Evaluation (R, M&E), Health Information Systems, and

Research sub-Divisions within the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), and the Central Bureau

of Statistics under the National Planning Commission. Ensuring the quality of the content of the courses as

well as local and regional relevance will be facilitated through the involvement of R, M &E and their

knowledge of other similar programs and M&E curriculum.

This partnership will serve to strengthen the M&E courses at the local university, fulfill the consistent M&E

training needs for the MOHSS and the line Ministries, NGO and private sector partners, and create a skilled

cadre of Namibians to fill the continual job demand for those equipped with a high level of M&E knowledge

and experience.

Although UNAM's SPH is located in Windhoek, we expect the coverage to be national in scope through the

provision of distance-based education. Students enrolled in the program will also be required to complete

an HIV-oriented practicum in collaboration with governmental and non-governmental organizations located

throughout the country.

In COP09, the partnership will explore the feasibility of adding new components in social work and

alcohol/substance abuse counseling. Such discussions will begin after the twinning university is defined.

New/Continuing Activity: Continuing Activity

Continuing Activity: 17361

Continued Associated Activity Information

Activity Activity ID USG Agency Prime Partner Mechanism Mechanism ID Mechanism Planned Funds

System ID System ID

17361 17361.08 HHS/Centers for To Be Determined 7733 7733.08 TBD/CDC MHP

Disease Control & Mentoring

Prevention

Emphasis Areas

Gender

* Addressing male norms and behaviors

* Increasing gender equity in HIV/AIDS programs

Human Capacity Development

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Human Capacity Development $658,000

Public Health Evaluation

Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery

Food and Nutrition: Commodities

Economic Strengthening

Education

Water

Table 3.3.18: