South Asia Field Epidemiology and Technology Networks (SAFETYNET), Philippines, Centers for Disease Control and Research (CDC), Atlanta, USA and National Health Training Center, Teku, Kathmandu, completed the training of the first cohort (batch) of Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), Frontline in Nepal.
The fellows graduated on February 15, 2023. Director General, Department of Health Services, World Health Organization Representative (WR), Nepal, US embassy Representative and Directors of Health departments were present in the ceremony. FETP Frontline is 3-month long mentor-oriented training program to build skills on field epidemiology.
Participants spend 75% of their time conducting field activities and 25% time in classroom sessions. The objectives of the program are to able the graduates to improve disease surveillance (timeliness, completeness and reporting) at local level and to detect and respond to unusual occurrences of disease.
A total of 19 fellows (District 12, Palika 2, Province 4 and National 1) were graduated on
February 15, 2023. During the course fellows improved the surveillance and investigated multiple food poisoning, measles outbreaks, verified outbreaks of acute watery diarrhoea, influenza like illness (ILI), acute febrile illness in the community and also performed case investigation of malaria, leprosy, tuberculosis and kala azar.