14 Oct 2024

The numerous public health epidemics that the world has been experiencing, necessitates enhancing of competencies of public health professionals in field epidemiology practices in order to better predict, prevent, control and protect against diseases and public health challenges.

This was said by permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, Professor Oatlhokwa Nkomazana at the first graduation ceremony for those who had enrolled for Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) in Gaborone recently.

Prof. Nkomazana said the intermediate programme, that was attended by 11 public health officers from across District Health Management Teams (DHMT), would enable districts to not only withstand emergent public health concerns, but also enhance their capacity to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats.

She said a capacitated health system would consider all aspects of a pandemic response such as surveillance, stakeholder engagement, access to services, supply chain management, financing and governance.

She told the graduates that their real work was starting and that as field epidemiology trained officers, they would be called upon to investigate and respond to disease outbreaks and public health emergencies, not only in Botswana, but where their skills and expertise may be needed.

The permanent secretary commended them for continuing to improve the health system and serving Batswana with diligence.

The US Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Howard Van Vranken highlighted the importance of a strong and fit-for-purpose public health system.

He said challenges posed by global health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Mpox outbreak required countries to have strong public health systems with a well-trained field epidemiology workforce to ensure prevention, timely detection and rapid response to the threats at their source.

He said the US government had prioritised establishing the Botswana Field Epidemiology Training Programme in order to build on the long-standing collaboration between the two governments. “Modelled after the US Epidemic Intelligence Services Programme, training programmes such as this one have demonstrated their ability to enhance skills and competencies of public health workers,” he said.

Mr Van Vranken also said the programme would accelerate Botswana’s progress towards the global health security agenda targets that required one trained field epidemiologist per 200 000 people, adding that the US government was “delighted to be part of these efforts to keep Botswana safe and secure from health security threats.”

Ms Utlwanang Modise, a family nurse practitioner and Malaria focal person in Francistown, who graduated from the intermediate programme, was praised for her quality research and presentation skills. She scooped position one in oral presentation. ENDS