Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs: A Model for Global Health Capacity Building

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As global threats to public health emerge, these capacities, or the speed at which diseases can be identified, treated, and contained, are important. FELTPs have been a key in strengthening this capacity given that they produce professionals capable of handling different public health emergencies. infectious diseases, including Ebola and NCDs, FELTPs prepare field epidemiologists with essential practical experience that can facilitate disease surveillance, outbreak investigations, and laboratory integration for effective broad-based public health approaches. These programs are particularly effective within districts and countries with poor health systems as they promote the ownership of the district health workforce. As FELTPs train strong human resources for deployment in countries globally, they are beneficial to global health security goals.

The Origins and Purpose of FELTPs

FELTPs come from the practice of establishing Field Education Liaison and Temporary Staff (FELT) programs in the 1990s, which were designed to bring in more temporary staff to meet the growing demand; however, an unexpected consequence was the increase of permanent personnel. The Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program has its origins in the Epidemic Intelligence Service, which was created in 1951 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The EIS was created due to the requirement for uniquely trained individuals dedicated to addressing health crises. The basic model was later changed for international use, and FETLPs were adopted, which contain many aspects of the functioning of a laboratory. Currently, FELTPs are present in countries globally as flexible frameworks that enhance the development of human resources for health and system capacity for responding to health problems in their national, subregional, and global contexts.

Core Functions and Requirements of FELTPs

The curriculum of the FELTP is usually based on the competency model since training involves both classroom and fieldwork. Candidates are educated on outbreak investigation, surveillance, biostatistics, clinical epidemiology, lab sciences, and public health policy. It prepares them to relate theory to practice, which lends them the necessary skills they require out there in the field.

One innovation of FELTPs is the incorporation of laboratory training as a part of the fellowship, for which the basis is laid in the competency frameworks, understanding the role of diagnostics in public health. Therefore, through training on lab skills and field epidemiology, FELTP graduates are well placed to respond to field concerns informed by reliable test results, thereby improving the general impact of the interventions. It often comprises modules on outbreak analysis using geographic information systems, risk communication, and epistemology, among other elements of infection disease control and management that enable the professional to combat health threats rationally and with adequate reference information.

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FELTPs in Action: Success Stories and Impact

More than 3000 professionals from sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia who have conducted complicated outbreak investigations and contributed to enhancing health in their contexts have been trained by the FELTPs. For example, epidemiologists trained in FELTP played a significant role in West Africa’s ebola outbreak, as was reporting contacts, surveilling the disease, and educating people on ways to avoid infections. This response also eased the spread of the Ebola virus and established that communities must have a suitable staff of public health experts in the event of any mishap.

Another example comes from the Papua New Guinea FELTP, which has been quite active in the fight against both TB and HIV/AIDS. The country has a high prevalence of these diseases, together with geographical constraints that complicate the provision of health care services. I counted that FELTP-trained professionals implemented changes to better TB screening, address immunization, and worry about mother and child health. By building the capacity of local epidemiologists through teaching design and implementation of health interventions, the PNG FELTP has offered sustainable solutions to recalcitrant health problems.

Building Laboratory Capacity in Low-Resource Settings

One of the major things that is accomplished in FELTPs is the enhancement of laboratory skills required for epidemiologic application. This is particularly the case where laboratory services are scarce in many low-resource settings. To some extent, FELTPs cover this knowledge gap by preparing the staff of public health organizations in laboratory diagnostics, quality assurance, and data management. This training enables the epidemiologists to work with the laboratory technicians in diagnosing diseases correctly and within record time.

For instance, in Kenya, through the implementation of a laboratory-based surveillance system, the FELTP-trained professionals have increased laboratory testing for diseases such as cholera, HIV, and malaria. These systems help to identify the start of the disease early enough to contain the spread, thereby minimizing harm to the populations affected. The incorporation of laboratory training into FELTPs also enhances the ability of field epidemiologists to conduct investigations and laboratories in the distribution of information as well as coordination in the health emergency response.

Regional Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange

Though FELTPs continue to hold a range of value, the aspect of regionalism is particularly remarkable. Thus, FELTPs promote networking of the professionals in the same field to improve sharing of the information across borders, hence helping countries improve their ability to handle cross-boundary health threats. Such synergy has been so helpful, especially within areas such as West Africa, where FELTP graduates are aiding in efforts to treat diseases like Lassa fever and measles.

Similar to the global FELTPs, regional FELTPs are privileged to receive funding and technical support from such global institutions as WHO and CDC. These partnerships give FELTPs the resources, support in terms of technical knowledge, and capital necessary for these programs. In such partnerships, FELTP participants are exposed to the best practices from throughout the world, which have to be adopted locally.

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Challenges and Opportunities for FELTPs

However, there are some important issues that still need to be resolved in connection with FELTPs’ work. Many of these programs, however, are restricted by the inadequacy of funds required to achieve their goals throughout their coverage scale, especially in developing nations. Moreover, sometimes it is difficult to retain a trained workforce; many FELTP graduates are quickly writing interviews with other international organizations or in the private sector; hence, there is a shortage of skilled epidemiologists in the public sector.

To overcome these challenges, there is an emphasis on developing local ownership in FELTPs. Countries are encouraged to incorporate FELTPs into the national health systems so that the graduates can remain in the countries. In addition, strategies for raising funds for the expansion of FELPT are also being developed, through which FELTPs will be funded through partners with companies in the private sector and with philanthropic organizations.

The future also holds a number of opportunities for FELTPs. There is also new generational technology, which helped authorities use mobile health (mHealth) applications and new methods of digital surveillance. When integrated into the FELTP curriculum, these tools enable programs to train epidemiologists with standard features that will further boost their functioning in the field.

Conclusion: An Appropriate Model of Stability and Sustainable Health of the World

Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs are thus the ideal models for creating health capacity. Because FELTPs educate local professionals to meet local health needs, they also build a strong public health workforce that is ready to meet routine public health challenges and disaster burdens. FELTPs implemented in various parts of the globe are evidence that this model works, and the need for more support to train and improve the public health workforce should not be overemphasized. As the world is experiencing new and more complex challenges in public health, FELTPs will be instrumental in enhancing the health of the global population.

References

  1. Williams, S.G., Fontaine, R.E., Turcios Ruiz, R.M., Walke, H., Ijaz, K. and Baggett, H.C., 2020. One field epidemiologist per 200,000 population: lessons learned from implementing a global public health workforce target. Health security, 18(S1), pp.S-113.
  2. Ropa, B., Flint, J., Michael, O., Pavlin, B.I., Dagina, R., Peni, B., Bauri, M., Pukienei, A., Merritt, T., Terrell-Perica, S. and Yamba, A., 2019. Lessons from the first 6 years of an intervention-based field epidemiology training programme in Papua New Guinea, 2013–2018. BMJ global health, 4(6), p.e001969.
  3. Al Nsour, M., Iblan, I. and Tarawneh, M.R., 2018. Jordan field epidemiology training program: critical role in national and regional capacity building. JMIR medical education, 4(1), p.e9516.
  4. Koo, D. and Thacker, S.B., 2010. In snow’s footsteps: Commentary on shoe-leather and applied epidemiology. American journal of epidemiology, 172(6), pp.737-739.
  5. Traicoff, D.A., Walke, H.T., Jones, D.S., Gogstad, E.K., Imtiaz, R. and White, M.E., 2008. Replicating success: developing a standard FETP curriculum. Public Health Reports, 123(1_suppl), pp.28-34.
  6. Jones, D.S., Dicker, R.C., Fontaine, R.E., Boore, A.L., Omolo, J.O., Ashgar, R.J. and Baggett, H.C., 2017. Building global epidemiology and response capacity with field epidemiology training programs. Emerging infectious diseases, 23(Suppl 1), p.S158.
  7. Bensyl, D.M., King, M.E. and Greiner, A., 2019. Applied epidemiology training needs for the modern epidemiologist. American journal of epidemiology, 188(5), pp.830-835.

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