April 14, 2022

On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, the Egypt Field Epidemiology Training Program (Egypt FETP) celebrated the graduation of its first Intermediate cohort. The cohort comprises 16 graduates who completed one year of training, including fieldwork and research projects. During this year, they expanded their knowledge in different areas of applied epidemiology.

 

The graduation ceremony was attended by the Chief of the Preventive Sector within the Egypt Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), Dr. Amr Kandeel; Chief of Central Administration for Preventive Affairs, Dr. Mohammad Abdelfattah; Director-General of the Epidemiology and Surveillance Department, Dr. Manal Labib; and Egypt FETP Director, Dr. Sahar Samy, as well as cohort mentors and MoHP departments’ representatives. It was also attended virtually by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Atlanta Representative, Dr. Refaat Hanna; the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network’s (EMPHNET) Workforce Capacity Team Leader, Dr. Haitham Bashier; and other team members.

 

During the ceremony, the graduates were praised for their efforts, hard work, and contribution to the program’s success. They were also encouraged to use their new expertise to facilitate investigations and reporting.

 

In his speech, Dr. Bashier spoke on behalf of EMPHNET Executive Director, Dr. Mohannad Al Nsour, who congratulated the Egypt FETP on their effective efforts and the high level of coordination among all involved in the program’s management. He also stated that the graduates would play a major role in improving Egypt’s health systems and in reducing public health risks and emergencies. Dr. Bashier ended his speech by assuring EMPHNET’s commitment to supporting the program.

 

This graduation ceremony is considered a milestone for Egypt FETP, as these graduates will work on enhancing the country’s surveillance, outbreak investigation, and emergency response efforts.