Empowering Nigeria’s Frontline with Field Epidemiology Expertise

The graduation of the 9th cohort from the NSTOP VPDs short course marks an important moment in AFENET’s ongoing journey of strengthening public health in Nigeria. Coming at a time when the country continues to rebuild and refocus after the COVID-19 pandemic, this milestone reflects AFENET’s steady investment in developing skilled, local public health professionals. These newly trained field epidemiologists bring valuable expertise in disease surveillance, outbreak response, and public health management, and are already being deployed to bolster health systems across the country.

Their role is especially crucial in leading timely and effective responses to disease outbreaks and in supporting the improvement of primary health care services. Through this sustained focus on building local capacity, Nigeria is steadily moving towards greater self-sufficiency in protecting the health of its people. This achievement has been made possible through the invaluable support of the US CDC, and it stands as a proud example of what long-term partnerships and local leadership development can accomplish.