Dr. Ibrahim Luka, a Cohort II graduate of the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (NFELTP) had made a couple of presentations at various scientific fora in the past, but never walked away with an accolade, recognizing his scientific work. However, all this was to change after his presentation on 18 April 2012 during the International Night of the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) conference during which he became the first African to win the prestigious Willaim Foege Award for the Most Outstanding Public Health Abstract and Presentation at the conference.
He talked to AFENET’s Editor, Ms. Anita Tibasaaga about his win and public health in Africa.
AFENET joins the rest of the world to mark African Vaccination Week from 23-28 April 2012, under the theme: “An Unimmunized Child Is One Too Many: Give Polio the Last Push”. Activities in the week-long campaign will raise awareness on how immunization saves lives and the importance of increasing immunization coverage to control vaccine preventable diseases. One of the key tenets for effective immunization service delivery is an adequate number of skilled health workers, which is still a challenge in many Africa countries including Uganda.
In February 2012, the first cohort of residents of the West Africa Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (WA-FELTP) graduated with Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology degrees, making them the first masters’ graduates under the FELTP strategy in francophone West Africa. The twelve graduates: nine males and three females graduated during WA-FELTP’s first graduation ceremony held on 16 February in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 
The Uganda Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF) has commended AFENET for promoting capacity building and enhancement of disease surveillance, detection, and response in the country. The remarks were made by Dr. Nicholas Kauta- the Commissioner for Animal Resources at the Ministry, during the closing ceremony of a Participatory Epidemiology Course for fellows of the One Health Fellowship on 2 March 2012 at Colline Hotel Mukono. 
