SMDP Collaborations in the Americas

CA FETP – The Central America/Panama Field Epidemiology Training Program

Strengthening Management in Central America/Panama Field Epidemiology Training Programs

The Central America/Panama Field Epidemiology Training Program (CA FETP) is a public health capacity-building training program that prepares field epidemiologists at various levels of the public health system. Based in Guatemala, the CA FETP uses a tiered approach to support capacity building in seven Caribbean countries. CDC worked with the CA FETP team and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, to develop and deliver a Management for Epidemiologists module. This interactive module enables participants to develop skills in project management, preparing a budget, and program monitoring and evaluation. In 2008, the CA FETP and CDC teams delivered a workshop for 13 FETP country directors in Central and South America designed to ensure FETP program quality and sustainability. The country directors developed action plans that included conducting a situation analysis and assessing the impact of their activities on public health. They reconvened at a regional meeting six months later to present the results of their projects.

Mexico

Improving Management Capacity within Epidemiology and Surveillance Systems

CDC collaborated with Mexican partners to increase management capacity of public health professionals in Mexico and Central America. Partners included the General Directorate of Epidemiology (DGE) at the Ministry of Health of Mexico and Mexico’s National Center for Epidemiologic Surveillance and Disease Control (CENAVECE). CDC worked with Management for International Public Health (MIPH) graduates in the DGE to develop a curriculum and training materials and implemented workshops to improve leadership and management in epidemiology and surveillance.

In 2009, CDC collaborated with the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion  and the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission to develop and deliver a workshop for sister city teams along the border to strengthen collaboration to solve common health problems and build skills in data analysis. During the workshop, the sister city teams developed plans, including communication techniques and ways to resolve conflict, on how to work together effectively.

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