Updates from Zimbabwe FETP

Dr. Jared Omolo of the Kenya MOH (a graduate of the Kenya FELTP) joined the National Command Center (WHO, MOH, other partners) cholera response team in Zimbabwe under the auspices of WHO GOARN. He is one of the epidemiologists involved in monitoring the ongoing cholera outbreak.

The Zimbabwe FETP trainees (second year) on Thursday, 26 March 2009 presented their dissertation topics to the Board of the Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe. All the twelve trainees had their topics approved by the board with two trainees having to make some corrections. The trainees are still in the field sites and on their final year.

Updates from Ghana

The Centre for Leadership and Management training at Ghana School of Public Health will conduct the Improving Management for Public Health Interventions (IMPHI) course from June 22nd - July 27th, 2009. This course has been modelled along the famous Management of International Public Health (MIPH) course run by Sustainable Management Development Program (SMDP) of Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. The course is open to all health officials in management positions in the public health sector. Application forms can be picked from the School of Public Health Ghana or the AFENET Secretariat-Kampala, or click HERE to download.

Updates from Ethiopia

The Ethiopian FELTP started on 2 February 2009, with 13 trainees. The trainees have just completed their first set of class modules which ended with exams during the last week (27 March 2009). Trainees are currently having a week break, after which they will embark on their first field assignment. The trainees will be attached to several field sites at national level including Ministry of Health units, laboratory and Regional Hospitals. Dr. Monica Musenero is the Ethiopia liaison at AFENET.

Last week the Ethiopia FELTP initiated the application process for AFENET membership.

Updates from Uganda

First year trainees in the Uganda program started their second field attachment on Monday 30 March 2009. During this 8 week attachment, trainees are expected to undertake 2 field projects as well as participate in delivery of public health services at their field sites.

Updates from Nigeria

Trainees of the Nigerian FELTP are currently investigating a Lassa fever outbreak with an emphasis on the veterinary aspects. This will better define the role of rodents in lassa fever transmission in high risk areas.

A cancer registration course is scheduled to begin next week that will jump start the cancer surveillance in Nigeria but also improve bioinformatics capacity.

Preparations are underway for the second residents'' seminar to be undertaken in mid- April

One of the residents will be presenting at this year''s EIS conference

Updates from Secretariat

Mr. William Kabasa (AFENET–L program officer) and Mr. Nqobile Ndlovu (Exp@AFENET fellow) attended a three day (24-26 March 2009) workshop at the Entebbe Resort Beach Hotel. The workshop was organized by CDC- Atlanta and the American Society for Clinical Pathology. It was the last course among a series of three pilot courses conducted in Uganda. Participants included officials from district and level IV laboratories in Uganda. This was a task based training workshop that aimed at improving performance and ensuring quality results in laboratories.