Zambia has made incredible gains in the last 4 yrs, training epidemiologists for outbreaks.

Read about how we set up the Zambia Field Epidemiology Training Program #FETP in my 1st FIRST-AUTHOR PUBLICATION! @PhDVoice #OpenAcademics #EpiTwitter
https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2020.36.323.20917
/n

Imagine trying to control the COVID outbreak for an entire nation with just 2 #epidemiologists? That might have been #Zambia if the pandemic hit just 4 yrs ago. In 2014 MoH employed only 2 epidemiologists; both were stationed in the capital of Lusaka.
2/

Outbreaks were usually investigated only when necessary. Although outbreak investigations were summarized in reports, they were not stored in an easily-accessible public repository, or published in the literature.
3/

In order to strengthen surveillance & epidemiological skills at national & subnational levels of the public health system, ZFETP was established as a tripartite arrangement between the @mohzambia + @UnzaOfficial SPH + @CDCgov, and is now housed under@ZMPublicHealth
4/

ZFETP now responds to many disease outbreaks & publishes their work to inform public health:
#typhoid
#anthrax
#MeningicoccalMeningitis
#tungiasis
#cholera
foodborne diseases
#mumps
#BubonicPlague
#konzo (neurological disease assctd w/ cassavapoisoning
5/

#Mumps is a vaccine-preventable viral disease that may cause deafness, encephalitis or deathFETP residents conducted active case finding for mumps in Luanshya, Copperbelt Province. http://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2020.36.323.20917
6/

#Plague is a bacterial disease of rodents and approximately 90% of cases are reported from Africa. Sporadic plague outbreaks have occurred in Zambia since 1917. FETP investigated a plague outbreak in the Eastern Province in 2015.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6531a4.htm
7/

It was the FETP who identified the 1st 2 cases of COVID-19 in Zambia, confirmed on 18 March 2020.
FETP monitored and contact traced international travelers based on WHO risk perception that international travelers were at highest risk for COVID. https://www.tephinet.org/fetp-support-towards-covid-19-response-in-zambia
8/

Since the pandemic was declared, FETP has been involved in all aspects of COVID19 response. They are deployed in high-risk districts of Zambia for contact tracing and investigation of possible COVID cases.
9/

Our FETP alumni have even been deployed to support Africa CDC across the continent. One of my first trainees, Dr Patick Kabwe is now a COVID-19 Event Based EPI Analyst
https://twitter.com/idlidosa2/status/1257291477287346181?s=20
10/

ZFETP has 2 tiers which enrolls in yearly cohorts. To date, the program has trained:
Advanced cohorts (24 residents)
Frontline cohorts (71 trainees)
tw/ support from @TEPHINET @AFENETAfrica @DfidZambia @PEPFAR
11/

ZFETP has been successful in responding to public health concerns and emergencies. The next 5 years will be important to continue ZFETP's path toward full institutionalization & sustainability. Thanks to @PANAFRMEDJ for highlighting our work #ScienceOpen #OpenAccess
/end