AFENET Trains FETP Alumni from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania on Ebola Virus Disease under the AFENET Corps of Disease Detectives umbrella, 1st-5th, April 2019, Kabarole, Uganda By Angella Musewa

AFENET Corps of Disease Detectives (ACoDD) is a civil voluntary service of culturally competent professional field epidemiologists based on the One Health approach. It aims at ensuring maximum and efficient utilization of the well trained workforce from Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs) across African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) member countries to respond to disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies. All graduates and residents of FETPs are automatic members of ACoDD.

When the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak was declared in Democratic Republic of Congo in August 2018, countries including Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Congo Brazzaville were notified to be at high risk of Ebola spread. This was explained by the large influx of refugees from DRC into its neighbouring countries. Given that situation, the AFENET organized a five days training which targeted graduates of field epidemiology training programs, resident trainees in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Also in the training were District Health Officers and District Surveillance Focal Persons from the most at risk districts for EVD in Uganda. Facilitation of the training was led by experts from World Health Organization Center for Disease Control and Prevention Uganda, AFENET and Uganda-Ministry of Health. The training involved both classroom interactions and field visits. Key areas covered during the training included; Risk communication, contact tracing, active case search, risk assessment, best hygiene practices during EVD outbreak, Donning and Doffing off PPE during an outbreak and what to know about the Ebola vaccine. Several case scenarios were presented during the training and each participant was assigned a group as means of ensuring active participation. Feedback sessions at the end of each scenario were held and each group had to present their response.
Practical sessions for donning and doffing off of PPE were exhibit-ed by one of the participants with guidance from an experienced member from the Ebola West Africa team. The training ended with a field visit at Bwera hospital and Mpondwe border screening point where a WHO standard tool was used to assess the preparedness and readiness of Uganda to fight Ebola in case a patient presented at Bwera hospital or the border entry point. The AFENET director observed the closure of meeting and each participant received a certificate of completion.