Twenty four  (24) health care workers graduated from a 3 month programme on field epidemiology and laboratory training programme with support from WHO and CDC.  The trainees were selected from health districts affected by the ongoing HEP E virus outbreak.  Although the programme cuts across public health emergencies and threats, the trainees are expected to strengthen surveillance on hepatitis E virus and improve daily reporting of cases.  The training was a response to findings of the WHO Rapid Assessment report which highlighted active case search and weekly reporting of cases challenges  in most affected health districts. 

The Special Advisor on health in the office of the vice President, Dr. Bernhard Haufiku, officiated the graduation ceremony.  He noted the urgent need for capacity development in the field of epidemiology especially at district level.   ‘I am delighted to note that this program addresses issues related to the development of competencies and skills to strengthen public health interventions such as outbreak investigations, disease surveillance and data management including data quality audits’, Dr Haufiku said. As part of the training programme, participants undertook research projects in their communities and the findings were presented at the ceremony. 

In a speech read on his behalf, WHO Country Representative, Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses, said that the World Health Organization has a historic role of guiding the prevention, control and management of international spread of diseases, through the implementation of capacities of the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 by Member States.  He said that WHO, in collaboration with other partners, have been supporting the MoHSS in the response to the Hepatitis E virus outbreak through coordination, technical and financial support of more than US$ 195,000. ‘Today’s graduates will further consolidate the ministry of health’s capacity in responding to Hep E and any other disease outbreaks in the country’.

The CDC Director in Namibia, Dr Eric Dzivban, expressed his endorsement for the three months training programme.   ‘I am very pleased to see that the FELTP program has, through funding from the World Health Organization, expanded to include the 3-month short course option. This is an important course not only for building the epidemiological capacity within government but also for individuals’.  He further urged the graduates to make good use of their qualifications and add value to their work.  

The Namibia Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (NamFELTP) started in 2012 with the support of CDC in collaboration with MoHSS and the University of Namibia. The three-month basic or frontline training started in 2012 and, in 2014, a  two-year advanced training resumed. It produces highly skilled public health experts with advanced knowledge in field epidemiology to respond to any public health emergency or threat. To date over 137 graduates have been trained and have led numerous outbreak investigations and strengthened surveillance systems at various levels.  They are now playing the role of national and regional epidemiologists leading all national public health emergency responses in the country.