The Ministry of Health held a Field Epidemiological Training Program (FETP) Basic recognition ceremony for cohort 2 trainees from the 2011 intake this past Thursday July 26th, 2012 at the George Price Center in Belmopan.

The FETP is an applied Epidemiology program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to strengthen the technical leadership of Epidemiologists in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic so as to strengthen information based decision making to improve the health status of the countries. This program was established in order to build field epidemiological skills in public health officials who work directly in outbreak investigation and surveillance events.

The nine graduates were presented with a certificate by the Deputy Director of the Health Services, Dr. Jorge Polanco and Dr. Abigail McKay, Head of Social Sciences, University of Belize. Special recognition and was given to the top scoring  graduate, Mr. Armando Shal, Public Health Inspector, Punta Gorda.

As part of their recognitions; trainees were required to showcase their deliverables from the training. A poster was developed and presented by areas of interest, either on a surveillance system they analyzed and/or an outbreak done.

Mr. Englebert Emmanuel, Surveillance Officer in the Ministry of Health congratulated all the successful graduates and he encouraged them to seek further studies in the field which is currently being offered in partnership with the government of Guatemala.

All graduates are from a second cohort who completed their courses and requirements back in November 2011.