Snapshot

FEiA wishes everyone the very best for the holiday season and the upcoming New Year! We want to express our thanks to you for being part of our incredible journey over the past twelve months.

A huge thank you goes to our amazing FEiA team and our extended family of supporters from across the region and around the globe. We are also deeply grateful to DFAT and the Global Fund for their funding in support of our work.

2023 has been a year of significant accomplishments. Please take a moment to check out our 2023 in Review blog below for a snapshot of FEiA's achievements this year.

In the past few weeks, we've released two additional case studies to complement the Reference Guide for Field Epidemiologists. We hope you find these resources valuable, with more to come in the New Year!

We are incredibly excited about what lies ahead in 2024. It's poised to be our biggest year yet, but we'll save the details for our next newsletter. Until then, take care everyone, and enjoy the holidays!

New Blog: 2023 in Review!

New Resource: Epidemiological Concepts Case Study

Covering different core competencies of field epidemiology, our Epidemiological Concepts case study is the second in a series of five. After a devastating cyclone which has left many people vulnerable in the fictional Constellation Islands, the case study follows a field epidemiologist exploring a range of different outbreaks on different islands over a one-year period. The case study covers key competencies including incubation and infectious periods, modes of transmission, understanding the host-agent-environment interface, and vaccination and immunity. With cyclone intensity predicted to increase in parts of the Pacific in the future, this case study will help field epidemiologists in their preparations to protect public health.

New Resource: Public Health Surveillance Case Study

FEiA’s third case study has been released, focusing on public health surveillance. The reader is a graduate from an FETP in the fictional Alphabet Islands, who has started a new job in the national surveillance team. After being asked to investigate influenza-like illness data in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the case study follows the steps of the surveillance cycle: data collection, management, analysis and dissemination, leading to public health action. Surveillance artefacts are uncovered, as well as a worrying cluster of severe influenza-like illness in some animal health workers and their families. The case study touches on what it might be like as a field epidemiologist working in public health surveillance, interfacing with a broader One Health response.    

One Health Frontline Evaluation Analysis

November was a busy month for the Frontline team, who spent two weeks in-country with our PNG colleagues analysing data collected during an evaluation of the programs implementation in the four pilot provinces. The first week focused on analysing qualitative data that was collected from 29 interviews conducted with Frontline graduates and line managers in all four pilot provinces. The second week saw the team finalise the survey and develop a data analysis plan for the quantitative survey data. The survey is being disseminated and over the coming period the team will be busy writing up the evaluation report. We look forward to sharing some of the stories and impacts of Frontline in early 2024.  In the meantime two Frontline faculty submitted abstracts for the Global Health Security Conference, which will be held in Sydney in June 2024.

RRT Phase 2 - After Training Review Workshops

In a final push to the finish line, the Rapid Response Training (RRT) team had a productive month, with RRT Coordinator Manu leading Phase 2 – After Training Review workshops in two additional provinces. This brings the total number of Provinces to complete Phase 2 to 20, with just two Provinces left to go! The trainers have noticed that at Phase 2 level, the RRTs are now more advanced than previously, with more manuals completed and roles and responsibilities assigned. Additionally, in a recent review, members of the West Sepik Province RRT shared that they were receiving more reports from the districts from those who had undergone frontline FETP training – a signal that the various FETP activities are resulting in collaboration across teams and a stronger public health workforce! Finally, the RRT team submitted two abstracts for the Global Health Security Conference 2024, and hope to present their work in June.

One Health Frontline Report 2023

With support from FEiA, the Field Epidemiology Training Program of Papua New Guinea (FETPNG) released a report on the pilot of the One Health Frontline FETP (f-FETPNG). During 2023, f-FETPNG was piloted in four provinces – West New Britain, West Sepik, Morobe and the National Capital District – with training covering surveillance, outbreak investigation and community engagement. In total, 61 fellows from human, animal and environmental sectors graduated, each undertaking a surveillance data review and a field investigation to fulfil program requirements. Access the full report on our website.

Free Online Training for Field Epidemiologists

We currently have four eLearning courses available: Outbreak Investigation, Excel Fundamentals for Field Epis, Rapid Response Team Training and Module 1 & 2 of a 3-Module surveillance course, Basics of Public Health Surveillance (stay tuned for Module 3, currently under development). Explore the courses by clicking on the buttons below.

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