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PHS402

Introduction To Public Health Laws

This course introduces students to public health laws within the Nigerian context, emphasizing their role in a multicultural society with a federal constitution. It explores the nature, scope, and significance of health-related laws, aiming to inform evidence-based healthcare service delivery nationwide. The course equips students with a foundational understanding of the Nigerian legal and public health systems, enabling them to address legal needs in a rapidly evolving socio-economic landscape and maintain high professional ethics.

About this course

Difficulty
Intermediate
Study hours
208 hours
Maths
None
Content
Theoretical, case study
Practical work
No
How it is assessed
  • Assignments
  • Tutor Marked Assignments
  • Final Examination

What you'll read

The real module and unit structure of PHS402, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.

Module 1

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

PHS402 · PHS402

The aim of this course is to introduce the student to related public health laws with the background knowledge of how to avoid unprofessional conduct which could lead to breach of duty that has severe consequence.

What you should be able to do

  1. Describe the concept of Public Health Law and its limitations within the Nigerian context.
  2. Explain the role of law as a tool for protecting public health and improving population health outcomes.
  3. Identify and differentiate between various sources of law relevant to public health practices in Nigeria.
  4. Analyze the legal and ethical considerations in public health decision-making and interventions.
  5. Evaluate the effectiveness of public health laws in addressing contemporary health challenges in Nigeria.
  6. Apply legal principles and frameworks to real-world public health scenarios and case studies.

What it prepares you for

Careers
  • Public Health Officer
  • Environmental Health Officer
  • Health Policy Analyst
  • Health Program Manager
  • Public Health Consultant
Where it is applied
  • Healthcare
  • Government
  • Non-profit
  • Environmental Protection
  • Public Safety

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

  • Module 11: Concept, Classification and Function of Law and Morality

    Unit 11: The Concept of Law and Morality

    Theories of law require critical analysis and understanding of philosophical underpinnings, which can be challenging for students without a background in jurisprudence.

  • Module 12: Sources of Law in Public Health Practices

    Unit 13: Sources of Law in Relating to Public Health Practices

    Understanding the interplay between different sources of law (English law, Nigerian legislation, case law, customary law) and their application in public health requires careful attention to legal precedents and constitutional provisions.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 32 hours in total. Yours will differ.

  1. Week 1Module 1: Understanding Public Health Law Concept and Limitation
    • Unit 1: Understanding Public Health Law Concept and Limitation in Nigeria Health Systems · 2 hours

      Read Chapter One, focusing on the concept of Public Health Law and its limitations.. Understand the stewardship role in health systems and how legislation improves population health.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  2. Week 2Module 2: Public Health Law as a Legal Tool
    • Unit 2: Public Health Law as a Legal Tools for Protection from Threats to Health · 2 hours

      Study policy, regulation, and legislation as important legal tools.. Differentiate between Health Law, Public Health Law, and Medical Jurisprudence.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  3. Week 3Module 3: Meaning and Key Functions of Public Health
    • Unit 3: Meaning and Key Functions of Public Health · 2 hours

      Interpret the meaning of public health and understand the key functions of public health.. Focus on promotion of health, tackling health inequalities, and clinical standards.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  4. Week 4Module 4: Characteristics, Structure, Process and Implementation of Public Health Law
    • Unit 4: Characteristics, Structure, Process and Implmentation of Public Health Law · 2 hours

      Study the essential characteristics, structure, process, and implementation of public health law.. Discuss law reform and health interventions, and the role of legislature.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  5. Week 5Module 5: Historical Development of Public Health Law
    • Unit 5: The Historical Development of Public Health Law; Global Perspective · 2 hours

      Describe the origin of Public Health Law from a global perspective.. Discuss the contribution of Ancient Greece and the role of Public Health Law in conquering epidemics.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  6. Week 6Module 6: Origin, Focus and Parts of Public Health Law in Nigeria
    • Unit 6: The Origin, Focus and Various Parts of Public Health Law in Nigeria · 2 hours

      Describe the origin of Public Health in Nigeria and the establishment of Primary Health Care.. Explain the development of Public Health Law and discuss its different parts, focus, and description.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  7. Week 7Module 7: Trend and Legal Authority Appraisal of Public Health Laws
    • Unit 7: Trend and Legal Authority Appraisal of Public Health Laws in 21st Centuary · 2 hours

      Describe the trend of law and public health issues.. Discuss the Legal Authority Appraisal of Public Health Law.. Distinguish between Old and New Public Health Law.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  8. Week 8Module 8: Framework and Rationale for Public Health Law
    • Unit 8: The Framework and Rationale for Public Health Law · 2 hours

      Describe the framework of Public Health Law and Ottawa Declaration.. Describe the framework of Public Health Law and Tallinn Charter Declaration on Health Systems.. Enumerate the rationale for the establishment of Public Health Law.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  9. Week 9Module 9: Attributes of Public Health Law
    • Unit 9: Attributes of Public Health Law · 2 hours

      Describe the do's and don'ts of public health laws.. Discuss the continuum nature of public health law.. Describe the territorial and regional limit of public health law.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  10. Week 10Module 10: Usefulness of Public Health Law as a Legal Tool
    • Unit 10: The Usefulness of Public Health Law as a Legal Tool · 2 hours

      Explain the different types on usefulness of the Public Health Law.. Focus on code, rule, structure, right, framework, and instrument.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  11. Week 11Module 11: Concept, Classification and Function of Law and Morality
    • Unit 11: The Concept of Law and Morality · 2 hours

      Define the term law and mention and describe some of the theories of law.. Describe the origin of law and define morality.. State the difference and similarity between morality and law.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

    • Unit 12: Classification and Function of Law · 2 hours

      State the various classifications of law and describe some classifications of law.. State some functions of law.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  12. Week 12Module 12: Sources of Law in Public Health Practices
    • Unit 13: Sources of Law in Relating to Public Health Practices · 2 hours

      Define what is meant by sources of law.. Mention at least four sources of law in Nigeria.. Describe some of the sources of law in Nigeria in his/her own words.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

    • Unit 14: Sources of Public Health Law in Nigeria · 2 hours

      Define what is meant by cross cutting in the sources of public health law.. Mention at least four sources of public health law in Nigeria.. Describe some of the sources of public health law in Nigeria in your own words.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

  13. Week 13Module 13: Law Making Process and Public Health Laws Types and Principles
    • Unit 15: Law Making Process · 2 hours

      Define what is meant by law making process.. Describe the law-making process in a Military administration and list some examples of military laws.. Describe the law-making process in a democracy and list some examples of laws during a democratic government.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

    • Unit 16: Public Health Laws Types and Principles · 2 hours

      List and describe some public health and environmental laws.. List and describe some environmental law principles.. Complete Self Assessed Exercises and Tutor Marked Assignment..

Preparing for the exam

What to do
  • Create detailed outlines for each module, focusing on key definitions and legal concepts.
  • Develop case studies applying legal principles to public health scenarios.
  • Practice essay questions on the historical development and ethical considerations of public health law.
  • Review all Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) and feedback to identify areas for improvement.
  • Focus on understanding the interplay between different sources of law and their practical application in Nigeria.
  • Create concept maps linking legal frameworks to specific public health issues (e.g., environmental pollution, disease control).
  • Allocate study time proportionally based on the weight of each module in the final examination.

Questions students ask about this course

What is PHS402 about?

This course introduces students to public health laws within the Nigerian context, emphasizing their role in a multicultural society with a federal constitution. It explores the nature, scope, and significance of health-related laws, aiming to inform evidence-based healthcare service delivery nationwide. The course equips students with a foundational understanding of the Nigerian legal and public health systems, enabling them to address legal needs in a rapidly evolving socio-economic landscape and maintain high professional ethics.

How many units does PHS402 have?

PHS402, Introduction To Public Health Laws, has 1 unit across 1 module, over 106 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is PHS402?

PHS402 carries 4 credit units, at 400 level in Health Sciences.

Is PHS402 hard?

PHS402 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.

How long does PHS402 take to study?

About 208 hours of study, spread across its 1 units.

How is PHS402 assessed?

PHS402 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assignments and Final Examination.

What can I do with PHS402?

Public Health Officer, Environmental Health Officer, Health Policy Analyst, Health Program Manager and Public Health Consultant.

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