At a glance
Russia's war in Ukraine has resulted in the displacement of approximately 20% of Ukraine's population across Europe. As the conflict persists, a well-trained and well-equipped public health workforce is needed to respond swiftly and effectively to the rising number of refugees and internally displaced people.
Training opportunities
Between June and October 2022, 75 Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) residents and graduates participated in a six-day humanitarian emergencies and epidemiology training. This training aims to strengthen humanitarian emergency response capacity across the region. To date, trainings have been held in Ukraine, Georgia, and most recently in Moldova. They included participants from Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.
These trainings aim to position FETP as a resource for leaders and emergency responders. They establish a roster of ready-to-deploy field epidemiologists from diverse backgrounds and experiences, fostering shared language and customs across the region.
The training consists of instructive and practical elements, including:
- Three days of competency-based training
- Three days of simulation exercises (SIMEX)
- Needs assessment and survey missions
- Establishing Early Warning Alert and Response systems
The exercises gave trainees the chance to apply classroom concepts to hands-on learning that are delivered in partnership with the World Health Organization, CDC, and the Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network.
Humanitarian emergencies
Multiple factors can result in a humanitarian emergency. This can include forced migration, disease outbreaks, environmental degradation, climate-related events, limited access to healthcare, and prolonged conflict. In these complex environments, the risk of infectious disease outbreaks is amplified. Trainings provide FETP residents and alumni with the skills required to support humanitarian relief efforts.
In 2019, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported 120 million people with an urgent need for humanitarian aid and protection. However, today, the absence of standardized trainings to strengthen the public health competencies and capabilities necessary for a humanitarian response deployment persist. This course, based on the FETP "learning by doing" methodology, offers a starting point for the institutionalization of these capacities and proven teaching methods for epidemiological approaches for humanitarian emergencies.