The KIIT School of Public Health (KSPH) recently organized a three-day field exposure-cum-immersion program for students pursuing MHA and MPH in KSPH. This initiative allowed students to visit various healthcare facilities in the Khordha district, thereby providing them with a significant opportunity to observe the operations of the health system and engage directly with healthcare providers. Such interactions offered valuable insights into the practical challenges and management processes inherent in public health and hospital administration.
On the first day, the students visited a Health and Wellness Center (HWC) under the Kuhudi- Primary Health Center (PHC) in the Tangi Block. Here, they interacted with the Community Health Officer (CHO) to gain an understanding of patient management and the twelve extended services available through comprehensive primary care at the sub-center level. The students subsequently proceeded to the Kuhudi-PHC, where they engaged with the Medical Officer and Pharmacist to gain deeper insights into the management of primary health care. On the second day, the students visited the Community Health Center (CHC)-Tangi, where they were briefed by the Public Health Extension Officer (PHEO) regarding the services and management of the CHC. The final day of the program included a visit to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Khordha, where the students learned about the operational management of maternal and child health (MCH) and reproductive and child health (RCH) services, under the guidance of the District Manager for Reproductive and Child Health (DM-RCH) of Khordha. During the field visits, faculty members from KSPH played an active role in facilitating the experience, providing context and guidance to enhance the students’ learning.
KSPH expresses its gratitude to the state health officials, the health system personnel, including the Block and District Program Managers, Hospital Managers, and Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer (CDM & PHO) of Khordha district, for their support. The Director of Health Services (DHS), Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Odisha kindly provided the permission for this visit and we are thankful to him.
