April 14, 2022

The graduation ceremony of the Sudan Field Epidemiology Training Program (Sudan FETP) first intermediate cohort took place on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in Khartoum. It was held under the patronage of His Excellency, the Sudan Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) Under Secretary and Acting Federal Minister of Health, Dr. Heitham M. Awadalla.

 

The cohort comprised seven graduates who have completed the nine-month training requirement for the program. Throughout this period, the graduates expanded their knowledge in multiple areas of field epidemiology including; surveillance, outbreak investigation, and emergency response. They were equipped with the skills they need to conduct public health research.

 

The ceremony was attended by Sudan FMoH Under Secretary and Acting Federal Minister of Health, Dr. Haitham M. Awadalla; Sudan FETP Director, Dr. Muntasir Osman; Public Health Specialist, Dr. Shahd Osman; WHO representative in Sudan, Dr. Nima Abid; and FETP mentors and graduates. It was also attended remotely by the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network’s (EMPHNET) Workforce Capacity and Knowledge Exchange Networking Teams.

 

In his speech, Dr. Muntasir Osman welcomed attendees and said that he is very satisfied with Sudan’s FETP achievements despite all of the challenges that they have faced and the outbreaks they responded to.

 

Furthermore, Dr. Amna Khairy spoke on behalf of the Sudan FETP graduates. She stated that the graduates’ experience throughout the program was rich and transformative. She further highlighted the importance of continuous hard work and tenacity in order to achieve one’s objectives.

 

From her end, Dr. Shahd Osman reflected on the uniqueness of this cohort as it’s the first to offer training sessions online, and it is also the first intermediate cohort. She stressed on her belief that Sudan FETP is able to change the face of public health.

 

The ceremony also witnessed speeches from Dr. Nima Abid who emphasized the continuous support for the program from WHO, and Dr. Ghada Shouna from the EMPHNET Sudan office who thanked the graduates for their hard work and efforts. She also commended them for their success despite the difficulties and challenges they faced.

 

Dr. Shouna also delivered a speech on behalf of EMPHNET Executive Director, Dr. Mohannad Al Nsour where she emphasized EMPHNET’s commitment to supporting the program. Finally, the ceremony was concluded with a speech from H.E Dr. Heitham M. Awadalla.

 

The graduation ceremony marks a significant achievement for Sudan FETP, as these graduates will contribute to improving Sudan’s health systems and will be prepared to respond to epidemics and public health emergencies.