October 2008-September 2010

OVERVIEW

USAID’s FELTP program responded to a request from the Afghan Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) to build capacity for epidemiology.  Under the program, USAID funded the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop a Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP) in Afghanistan.  The two-year program was designed to build the capacity of entry- and mid-level health professionals in applied epidemiology, surveillance, and enhanced public health practice.  FELTP officers and graduates apply use their skills to strengthen the country’s public health surveillance and response systems and improve disease detection, control, and prevention.  Thanks to this program, Afghanistan now has the means with which to build its own public health programs at all levels.

ACTIVITIES

• Study Opportunities: Sent Afghan health professionals to study at the established Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP) in Pakistan.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Conducted a general course in basic epidemiology for 19 MoPH staff.
• Conducted two training courses for approximately 10 Provincial Rapid Response Teams.  Each team included a medical officer, a surveillance officer, a veterinarian, a laboratory technician, and a communications officer. 
• Enrolled two Afghan MoPH officials into the two-year FELTP in Pakistan.