title: Training and service in public health, Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training, 2008 - 2014.
abstract: The health workforce is one of the key building blocks for strengthening health systems. There is an alarming shortage of curative and preventive health care workers in developing countries many of which are in Africa. Africa resultantly records appalling health indices as a consequence of endemic and emerging health issues that are exacerbated by a lack of a public health workforce. In low-income countries, efforts to build public health surveillance and response systems have stalled, due in part, to the lack of epidemiologists and well-trained laboratorians. To strengthen public health systems in Africa, especially for disease surveillance and response, a number of countries have adopted a competency-based approach of training - Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP). The Nigeria FELTP was established in October 2008 as an inservice training program in field epidemiology, veterinary epidemiology and public health laboratory epidemiology and management. The first cohort of NFELTP residents began their training on 20th October 2008 and completed their training in December 2010. The program was scaled up in 2011 and it admitted 39 residents in its third cohort. The program has admitted residents in six annual cohorts since its inception admitting a total of 207 residents as of 2014 covering all the States. In addition the program has trained 595 health care workers in short courses. Since its inception, the program has responded to 133 suspected outbreaks ranging from environmental related outbreaks, vaccine preventable diseases, water and food borne, zoonoses, (including suspected viral hemorrhagic fevers) as well as neglected tropical diseases. With its emphasis on one health approach of solving public health issues the program has recruited physicians, veterinarians and laboratorians to work jointly on human, animal and environmental health issues. Residents have worked to identify risk factors of disease at the human animal interface for influenza, brucellosis, tick-borne relapsing fever, rabies, leptospirosis and zoonotic helminthic infections. The program has been involved in polio eradication efforts through its National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP). The commencement of NFELTP was a novel approach to building sustainable epidemiological capacity to strengthen public health systems especially surveillance and response systems in Nigeria. Training and capacity building efforts should be tied to specific system strengthening and not viewed as an end to them. The approach of linking training and service provision may be an innovative approach towards addressing the numerous health challenges.
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nguku
authors.affiliation: Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Akin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oyemakinde
authors.affiliation: Ahamdu Bello University, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Kabir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sabitu
authors.affiliation: Ahamdu Bello University, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adebola
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olayinka
authors.affiliation: University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ikeoluwapo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ajayi
authors.affiliation: University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olufunmilayo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fawole
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Babirye
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network.
authors.forename: Sheba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gitta
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mukanga
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network.
authors.forename: Ndadilnasiya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Waziri
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network.
authors.forename: Saheed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gidado
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network.
authors.forename: Oladayo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Biya
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network.
authors.forename: Chinyere
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gana
authors.affiliation: Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olufemi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ajumobi
authors.affiliation: Ahamdu Bello University, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Aisha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abubakar
authors.affiliation: Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Nasir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sani-Gwarzo
authors.affiliation: Capacity Plus, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ngobua
authors.affiliation: E&F Management Consult, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Obinna
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oleribe
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poggensee
authors.affiliation: Global Public Health Solutions, Atlanta, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nsubuga
authors.affiliation: Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nyager
authors.affiliation: African Field Epidemiology Network.
authors.forename: Abdulsalami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nasidi
mesh_terms: D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004520:Education, Veterinary / Q000458:organization & administration; D004813:Epidemiology / Q000193:education*; D006040:Goals; D006077:Government Agencies; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D059232:Laboratory Personnel / Q000193:education; D009549:Nigeria; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Capacity building; Nigeria; Public Health; field epidemiology; training