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. 2017 Dec;23(13):S158-S165.
doi: 10.3201/eid2313.170509.

Building Global Epidemiology and Response Capacity with Field Epidemiology Training Programs

Donna S Jones, Richard C Dicker, Robert E Fontaine, Amy L Boore, Jared O Omolo, Rana J Ashgar, Henry C Baggett

Building Global Epidemiology and Response Capacity with Field Epidemiology Training Programs

Donna S Jones et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 Dec.

Abstract

More than ever, competent field epidemiologists are needed worldwide. As known, new, and resurgent communicable diseases increase their global impact, the International Health Regulations and the Global Health Security Agenda call for sufficient field epidemiologic capacity in every country to rapidly detect, respond to, and contain public health emergencies, thereby ensuring global health security. To build this capacity, for >35 years the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has worked with countries around the globe to develop Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs). FETP trainees conduct surveillance activities and outbreak investigations in service to ministry of health programs to prevent and control infectious diseases of global health importance such as polio, cholera, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and emerging zoonotic infectious diseases. FETP graduates often rise to positions of leadership to direct such programs. By training competent epidemiologists to manage public health events locally and support public health systems nationally, health security is enhanced globally.

Keywords: epidemiology; global health; global health security; training.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
No. Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs) established with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention engagement (previous and current), 1980–2016.
Figure 2
Figure 2
FETPs-Advanced presently or previously associated with CDC, as of December 2016. India supports 2 FETPs-Advanced; both were initiated with CDC support, and 1 is now independent. Central America has had an FETP-Advanced that was paused in 2015 and restarted in August 2017 with Guatemala and Belize. CDC, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; EIS, Epidemic Intelligence Service; FETP, Field Epidemiology Training Program.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Outbreak investigations conducted by residents (participants) in US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)–supported Field Epidemiology Training Programs, 2005–2016.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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