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PHH3041: Disease prevention and control

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate – Unit



Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences


Dr Samson Muyanga


South Africa

  • First semester 2019 (On-campus)


HSC2141 or PHH2141.




This unit focuses on prevention and control of communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases. Topics include principles of infection, outbreaks, public health control measures such as tobacco smoking, obesity, hypertension and current issues in disease prevention and control. Public health control measures discussed may include surveillance, modelling, immunisation, antimicrobial therapies, infection control, vector control, screening and risk factor management. These topics are illustrated using relevant examples of communicable diseases such as vaccine-preventable diseases (e.g. influenza); vector-borne diseases (e.g., malaria), food-borne diseases (e.g., salmonella) and sexually transmitted infections (e.g. Syphilis). Epidemiological, social, and political perspectives are also discussed.



  1. Identify the distinguishing epidemiological features of infectious diseases.
  2. Explain how communicable infections are spread.
  3. Interpret epidemiological data on disease surveillance and disease outbreaks.
  4. Apply principles of communicable disease prevention to a range of scenarios, and identify which public health prevention and control strategies are appropriate for different diseases.
  5. Design and evaluate disease surveillance and control programs.
  6. Describe the role of social and political factors in disease prevention and control.
  7. Explore similarities and differences in prevention and control strategies for non-communicable diseases and communicable diseases.


  • Participation / tutorial exercises & presentation (5-10 minutes) (10%)
  • Written assignment (500 words) (10%)
  • Group presentation (20 minutes) (15%)
  • Written assignment (1,500 words) (20%)
  • Final exam (2 hours) (45%)

Hurdle: 80% attendance at tutorials.

Workload requirements

3 contact hours per week PLUS 9 hours of private study hours per week.

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Samson Muyanga

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Public health – South Africa