World Health Organization (WHO) organized a regional consultation workshop on advancing field epidemiology capacities in the WHO South-East Asia Region from February 20-22, 2024 in Delhi, India. The workshop aimed to review progress, lessons, and challenges in strengthening field epidemiology capacities in the WHO South-East Asia Region, identify priority actions, including opportunities for regional cooperation, and develop a regional roadmap to advance field epidemiology capacities in the WHO South-East Asia Region.
Delegates from India, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Timor-Leste FETP program joined the workshop. Countries demonstrated their updates, strengths, achievements and future priorities in FETP programs.
Among the partners, CDC, TEPHINET, SAFETYNET, ASEAN+3 FETN, Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and South-East Asia One Health University Network joined. Partners mentioned their interests and priority of funding related to FETP. On the last day, the draft regional FETP roadmap was reviewed by the participants of the workshop. SAFETYNET played a key role in coordinating FETP program directors and stated its priority areas to contribute the strengthening the public health workforce in the Asia Pacific Region. SEARO was also interested in including the SAFETYNET Strategic Plan among the working documents to prepare the road map. Both the SEARO WHO office, FETP program directors and partners identified SAFETYNET as a key implementing partner and expected continuous technical support from SAFETYNET for FETP implementation in the region.
