PROJECT 036 (IfS)* Further development and consolidation of the Mediterranean Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (MediPIET)

Context

The wide circulation of goods, people and animals increases the risk of spreading communicable diseases. In order to enhance global health security with respect to biological - but also chemical, radiological and nuclear - threats, countries need to continuously monitor their population’s health and efficiently manage health risks.
Medical practitioners, public-health nurses, microbiologists, veterinarians and other public health practitioners do not train in field epidemiology during their studies, because of the very nature of the subject.
Therefore there is a need to provide these categories with the necessary hands-on experience allowing them to competently intervene when public health emergencies (such as pandemics) occur.

Objective

MediPIET aims at contributing to improve health security in the Mediterranean region.
MediPIET is a training programme which includes a 2-year “learning-by-doing” course, supports the creation of regional networks of epidemiologists and of training infrastructures.
The project activities will help to consolidate a competent public health workforce in field epidemiology capable of facing national and cross- border emergencies posed by communicable diseases.