Strengthening the public health system of Sierra Leone through scientific research and community engagement

Gebrekrstos Negash Gebru^1,2,&, Adel Hussein Elduma^1,2, James Sylvester Squire^3,4, Mohamed Vandi^1,4, Soter Ameh Sunday⁵, Hawawu Hussein⁶, Kassim Kamara^2,4, Eric Ikoona⁴, Ikechukwu Ogbuanu⁵

 

¹Sierra Leone Field Epidemiology Training Program, Freetown Sierra Leone, ²African Field Epidemiology Network, Freetown, Sierra Leone, ³University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone, ⁴National Public Health Agency, Freetown, Sierra Leone, ⁵Child Health and Mortality Surveillance, Freetown, Sierra Leone, ⁶Tamale Technical University, Tamale, Ghana

 

 

^&Corresponding author
Gebrekrstos Negash Gebru, Sierra Leone Field Epidemiology Training Program, Freetown Sierra Leone

 

 

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa from 2014 to 2015 revealed serious gaps in the public health systems of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea, leading to over 11,000 deaths [1], [2]. Sierra Leone, in particular, suffered from a shortage of trained public health professionals to manage disease surveillance and emergencies [1], [3]. This lack of expertise delayed timely detection and response efforts and underscored the urgent need for a well-trained public health workforce to effectively address health threats [4].

 

In response to the Ebola crisis, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) partnered with its implementing partners, mainly the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), to strengthen Sierra Leone's health system. This collaboration led to the establishment of the Sierra Leone Field Epidemiology Training Program (SLFETP), starting with the three-month Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program (Frontline-FETP) in June 2016, followed by a nine-month Intermediate FETP in 2017 [5]. Under the National Public Health Agency, SLFETP trains public health professionals using a one-health framework through Frontline and Intermediate tiers. The advanced FELTP tier is currently offered in collaboration with the Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (GFELTP) and AFENET, with Sierra Leone participants attending didactic workshops in Ghana and working on field projects in either Ghana or Sierra Leone. However, SLFETP plans to introduce its in-country Advanced FETP in 2025.

 

The FETP is a global brand, competency-based training program endorsed by the World Health Organization for building a strong public health workforce. Countries must implement the FETP to meet the core capacities of the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005, which are assessed through Joint External Evaluations (JEE) focusing on key D3.3 indicators related to human resources [6].

 

The FETP program in Sierra Leone aims to enhance the skills of the public health workforce in detecting disease threats and responding effectively. Trainees spend 25% of their time in the classroom and 75% in practical fieldwork, focusing on honing key competencies such as investigating outbreaks, responding to health emergencies, improving disease surveillance, and conducting epidemiological studies.

 

This supplement presents some of the epidemiological studies and field activities conducted by the SLFETP. It includes 11 papers authored by SLFETP trainees and graduates, addressing various public health issues. The topics covered include investigations and responses to outbreaks and pandemics of both national and international significance, evaluations of electronic surveillance systems, assessments of the impact of COVID-19 on routine immunization, factors associated with COVID-19 fatalities, predictors of mental health disorders, and analyses of trends and patterns related to various priority diseases.

 

The papers showcase the high-quality research being conducted by SLFETP and the program's significant contribution to building Sierra Leone´s national public health capacity to strengthen global health security. This supplement demonstrates the overall program's effectiveness in equipping participants with the skills not only to design and implement epidemiological studies and surveys but also to write and communicate scientific findings of the studies through publication in peer-reviewed journals.

 

 

Financial

 

This supplement publication was supported by the Cooperative Agreement Number NU2HGH000034 from The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the authors' responsibility and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

 

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