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The South Africa Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program

Background
Established in January 2006, the South African Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (SAFELTP) was developed to address the increasing burden of infectious diseases among the estimated 47.4 million inhabitants of South Africa.

At the request of the South African National Department of Health, CDC’s Division of Global Public Health Capacity Development helped to develop and implement the program and has employed a resident advisor to serve in a technical capacity during the programs formative years.

Partners Objectives
The primary objectives of the SAFELTP are to train leaders in applied epidemiology and public health laboratory practice, with an emphasis on problem-solving to provide public health service to the national and sub-national health authorities in South Africa.

While in the program, residents are expected to provide assistance to the South African Public Health system by conducting outbreak investigation and control, evaluation of surveillance systems, economic evaluation of public health programs, surveillance data analysis, and various presentations and publications providing evidence to improve public health.

CDC is providing assistance by assigning an experienced resident advisor to lend technical assistance in the development of training materials, teaching and mentoring program residents, and providing consultation on priority public health issues in South Africa.

Accomplishments
The SAFELTP has conducted a series of activities in 2006–2007 in preparation for the induction of the first cohort of 10 epidemiology residents in January 2007. These activities were aimed at establishing the basis to implement the program at an accredited university and in the field.

The first activity was a program development workshop that resulted in a curriculum that was accepted by UP as a new sub track of the Masters in Public Health (MPH). Residents will also receive an MPH from UP upon completion of the programme and a fellowship certificate from the NICD/NHLS.

The second activity was a series of short courses intended to establish an epidemiological and laboratory basis for supervision at field sites.

An Outbreak Investigation and Control short course was conducted for national and provincial communicable disease control coordinators and microbiological counterparts within NHLS. This course resulted in the detection of several outbreaks through a retrospective analysis of surveillance data and the detection of an outbreak of S.typhi in the laboratory in the Northern Cape Province.

The final activity involves integrating the program within NDOH, NICD and UP. To date, the SAFELTP has employed a director, resident advisor, epidemiology and laboratory training specialists, and an administrative assistant.

Future Plans

SAFELTP is in the process of defining the laboratory component of the program and will begin advertisement and selection of these residents in the fall of 2007.

There are plans to partner with other universities within South Africa once the MPH is standardized across institutions to allow for easier access to coursework by residents across South Africa.

The SAFELTP has begun focusing on outbreak investigation and response at all levels by placing fellows in some of the highest areas of infectious disease outbreaks and is also concentrating on improving surveillance by analyzing key systems within South Africa for identification of accuracy, efficiency, and other areas for enhancement.


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Content Source: Coordinating Office for Global Health
Page last modified: October 14, 2008