Addis Ababa — Today, on the occasion of World Field Epidemiology Day the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is honored to announce the official launch of applications for the prestigious African Epidemic Service - Epidemiology Track -Fellowship Programme. This two (2)-year, competency-based training initiative is hosted and directed by the Africa CDC in partnership with the African Union (AU). The timing of this significant announcement aligns with the global celebration of field epidemiologists' critical role in safeguarding population health and advancing global health security.
In recent years, the Africa CDC has been instrumental in supporting field epidemiology training programmes across the African continent. These efforts have resulted in the graduation of 49 frontline and 63 advanced Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) residents from more than 13 AU Member States. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa during 2014-2015 exposed vulnerabilities and underscored the urgent need to enhance public health prevention, detection, and response capabilities. In response, numerous member States-initiated field epidemiology training programmes.
"World Field Epidemiology Day is a global movement that acknowledges and promotes the vital role of field epidemiologists in protecting population health and advancing global health security. It advocates for increased investment in field epidemiology training, research, and professionals. In alignment with this movement, the Africa CDC is proud to announce the launch of the call for applications for this flagship initiative." Said H.E Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General, Africa CDC
In line with international health regulations and the global health security agenda, there is a need for one trained epidemiologist per 200,000 population and one trained veterinary epidemiologist per 400,000 animal population. As Africa is projected to be home to approximately 2.5 billion people by 2050, the continent's health security hinges on expanding the pool of trained epidemiologists while enhancing the quality of training necessitating a minimum of 12,500 trained human health epidemiologists.
To complement the ongoing efforts of AU Member States, the Africa CDC has developed the Africa Epidemic Services (AES), which comprises three tracks, including the Applied Epidemiology Track as well as Health Informatics and Laboratory Leadership tracks.
To sustain engagement and further discussions about the programmes efforts, the Africa CDC will host subsequent webinars for the Member States for information sharing and real-time interaction. The programme will have its official launch on the margins of the Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA).
About the Fellowship Program:
The African Epidemic Services (AES) is an elite workforce initiative hosted and directed by the African Union. It includes three specialized tracks: Epidemiology, Laboratory Leadership, and Public Health Informatics. These programs have been meticulously designed based on the priorities identified in the Africa CDC's workforce development framework.
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"This fellowship program is a two-year, competency-based training that includes three months of didactic training and 21 months of intensive field training at carefully selected sites across Africa. Fellows will acquire more than 50 competencies through in-service training, fostering south-to-south collaboration among fellows and hosting institutions." Said Dr. Tajudeen Raji, Head of Public Health Institutes and Research Division.
The call for applications for the fellowship program is now open, starting from 7th September 2023 and continuing through to October 26, 2023. The Africa CDC enthusiastically invites applications from all qualified candidates hailing from African Union Member States. Africa CDC is an equal-opportunity employer and encourages applications from women, youth, and underrepresented regions.
