 |
 |
|---|
PROJECTS
AFENET is currently working on the following projects:
Provision of Technical Assistance to Countries
AFENET provides technical assistance to countries aspiring to develop their own Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs (FELTPs) in Africa.
In October 2006, at the invitation of the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Tanzania, AFENET in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), undertook a needs assessment for the establishment of an FELTP in Tanzania.
This year, at the invitation of the MOH in Mozambique and CDC Mozambique, AFENET will conduct a similar assessment in Mozambique.
Immunization Projects
AFENET is currently supporting five research projects with funding from by USAID. These projects aim to identify novel interventions to improve routine immunization coverage for childhood illnesses in hard-to-reach areas in Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Human Resource Support
AFENET has locally hired and posted five medical epidemiologists (fellows) to back-up the skeleton staff in the MOH surveillance units in Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda. These fellows are helping the MOHs strengthen their surveillance systems, investigation and response to acute health events, and supervision of FELTP trainees.
Financial Support
AFENET’s robust financial mechanisms allow the organization to provide financial support in real time to MOHs for disease outbreak investigations and response across the network.
Outbreak Investigation Laboratory Kit
Laboratories remain a weak link in the health system response to disease threats in Africa. AFENET is working with member countries to develop outbreak investigation laboratory kits that will enable the timely laboratory confirmation of suspected outbreaks of acute health events.
Training of Middle-level Laboratorians
in line with the Outbreak Investigation Laboratory Kit project,
AFENET is developing curriculum, training materials, and tools for a competency-based short course that will provide middle-level laboratorians at district, provincial, and national levels with skills in laboratory management and disease surveillance. This course will be offered in Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe in 2007.
FELTP Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and Tools
AFENET, with technical assistance from CDC, is developing a monitoring and evaluation framework for FETPs and FELTPs in Africa.
Moving from Data to Action
AFENET and CDC are in the early stages of exploring the development of training course material, and tools to help countries use available data collated through systematic reviews for action.