Field epidemiology and lab training programme launches 10th anniversary
Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (GFELTP), a two-year competency based programme at the University of Ghana (UG) launched its first Scientific Conference and 10th anniversary in Accra last Thursday.
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The programme which trains Physicians, Veterinarians and Laboratory scientists in the field of epidemiology and disease control is in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the University Of Ghana School Of Public Health.
Its objective is to strengthen Ghana’s surveillance systems in the country to help tackle public health emergencies such as disease outbreaks.
The launch, under the theme “A Decade of Field Epidemiology Training in Ghana: Scaling up workforce development to improve Public Health” would also focus on improving communications and networking among public health practitioners across the sub-region.
Conference Activities
The conference would focus on trending public health topics such as “Immunisation in the Second year of Life”, “Global Health Security Agenda”, Ebola Virus Disease and Mental Health Disorders.
Representatives from the Africa Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) and the Training Programmes in Epidemiology and Public Health Intervention Network (TEPHINET) are expected to attend the conference.
The conference, which is to take place from September 18 to 21 in Accra would also hold sensitisation programmes to mark the celebration.
Works
Residents and alumni of GFELTP have undertaken several investigations and responded to over 80 disease outbreaks such as yellow fever, meningitis, cholera and food borne disease outbreaks in Ghana.
They also supported in the Ebola virus disease outbreak investigation and response team in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Challenges
A coordinator of a World Health Organisation (WHO) project, the Mekong Malaria Elimination Project, Dr Fred Binka, lamented the frequent changes in Ministerial appointments for the Ministry of Health., saying that it interrupted effective planning for the Ministry. He said it also affected the adequate allocation of resources to the Public Health sector to help enhance its operations.
“I asked that as it is done in the finance sector, the Ministry of health deserves to have an uninterrupted administration of its Minister,” he said.
“If you also check the budget for the health sector a greater percentage is allocated for the clinical services whiles very little is left for the public health sector, I therefore appeal to relevant authorities to allocate substantial resource to the sector and create a Body to assure the use of such resources,” he added.
Advocacy
The Director for GHS, Dr Badu Sarkodie who was present at the occasion called on the media to help advocacy on the activities of the programme.
He said the programme served as a resource centre for training Field Epidemiology, urging the government to put measures in place to improve the dwindling Public Health workforce.
The Director for GFELTP, Dr Ernest Kenu for his part said a planning committee for the programme was engaging the regulatory bodies of health workers to register the conference.