18 health workers graduate from Cohort 2 of Madagascar Frontline FETP

Madagascar commenced the Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) in 2022 as a partnership between the Ministry of Public Health (MSANP), Africa Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) and United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) to strengthen disease surveillance and response system in the country. The second cohort of the Frontline FETP trainees graduated on 9 February 2023 at a ceremony chaired by the Dr Yasmine Lethicia Lydia, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Health.

Dr Yasmine congratulated the 18 trainees that graduated who were drawn from the different levels of the health system. She emphasized the commitment of the government in supporting the program to ensure health for all in Madagascar and thanked US CDC, AFENET and other partners for supporting the implementation of the Frontline FETP.

The representative of the US CDC, Mr. Paul Elish reiterated the importance of the FETP program in training public health professionals. He commended the Ministry of Public Health for embracing the program and encouraged more partners to get involved in order to sustain the program in the country.

Dr Jocelyn Razafindrakoto of USAID appreciates that the health workers are already putting into practice what they have learnt during the training through their active participation in field investigations.

In his remarks, Dr Rakotonandrasana Thierry, representative Cohort II, thanked MSANP, the partners, supervisors and mentors for giving them the opportunity to participate in the training to improve their capacities in public health surveillance, outbreak investigation and response. He thanked the partners for supporting the smooth running of the training and learning process.

To date, 37 health workers have graduated from the Frontline FETP and are spread across 36 districts.