Dr. Amir Alakaam, associate professor in the UTC Department of Health and Human Performance and director of the Master of Public Health program
photo by Angela Foster/UTC
During the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noticed a glitch in the Tennessee public health system.
Its network was limited, and the information it provided was out-of-date.
“The CDC recognized that, ‘OK, this needs to be updated so everyone will be prepared for the next crisis or emergency,’” said Dr. Amir Alakaam, associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and director of its Master of Public Health program.
To help ensure that goal is realized, the master’s degree program recently received a $332,500 grant from the Tennessee Department of Public Health for the project titled, “Developing a Curriculum for Public Health Workforces in Tennessee,” which will study the issue and develop ways to improve the state’s information-delivery system.
The public health curriculum developed through this project will be disseminated to health professionals and providers across the state.
Dr.
Alakaam said it’s the first significant grant obtained by the MPH program since it began in 2018.
“That’s what I like about this grant,” he said. “It’s not just the high amount of money; it’s also great because it will recognize the important role that our MPH program plays in the state of Tennessee.”
To learn more about the grant and other campus happenings, visit UTC Newsroom.