On July 13th, Ambassador Malac participated in the graduation ceremony of the inaugural cohort of trainees from the Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program (Frontline FETP). Implemented by the Ministry of Health in partnership with AFENET and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this program aims to build Uganda’s capacity to detect, investigate, and respond to disease outbreaks of national and international concern.
The first cohort trained 16 participants from the Ministry of Health and the Nakaseke, Nakasongola, Mukono, and Kayunga Districts via a three-month in-service program. Designed to improve the participants’ skills within the context of their current jobs, the trainees worked on applied epidemiology projects in their districts under the guidance of experienced mentors.
These “disease detectives” use public health surveillance data and information to improve the quality and timeliness of public health interventions. In their training time alone, the cohort investigated suspected outbreaks of typhoid, measles, and rubella.
For more than 30 years, CDC has supported Ministries of Health in more than 60 countries to establish Field Epidemiology Training Programs. These FETPs greatly strengthen countries’ capacities in disease surveillance, epidemiology, and outbreak response.
