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The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has invested US$5 million to train 500 healthcare workers in Zambia, according to CDC Country Director Rachel Johnson.
“CDC has so far invested $5 million to train 500 healthcare workers in Zambia,” said Johnson, who was speaking in Lusaka on Tuesday during the launch of the Intermediate Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP), organized by the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) with support from its partners.
Johnson stated that 73 of the trained workers have already completed the two-year advanced FETP across seven cohorts.
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“An additional 423 healthcare workers were trained across 20 cohorts in the 3-month Frontline FETP,” she added.
“Over the next three years, Zambia’s Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP) is expected to train five cohorts of Intermediate FETP fellows,” Johnson said, noting that the Global Fund was sponsoring the inaugural cohort.
“CDC contributed US$300,000 in the fiscal year to support the staffing of the Intermediate FETP coordinator and the training of the second cohort,” she further mentioned, adding that the final three cohorts would be funded by the Pandemic Fund.
“These partnerships demonstrate that coordination is critical to maximize the use of limited funds and ensure they complement and benefit the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ),” Johnson stressed.
Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) Director-General, Roma Chilengi, reminded the 15 selected participants that they were chosen out of 289 applicants for this training.
“We are reminded of the crucial role that field epidemiologists play in identifying, investigating and responding to public health threats,” Chilengi noted.
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