Building stronger public health systems: WHO supporting countries scale up training of frontline public health workers

Field epidemiologists are on the frontlines of the fight against public health threats. From dengue, influenza, Nipah, measles to foodborne illnesses, non-communicable diseases, climate-sensitive diseases and natural disasters like earthquakes, cyclones, and floods, they play a crucial role in surveillance, risk assessment, and response.

With over two billion people, the WHO South-East Asia Region faces unique health security challenges. Strengthening emergency preparedness and response remains a top priority, with countries making significant strides in enhancing field epidemiology capacities.

A regional commitment to epidemiology training

As public health threats grow in scale and complexity, rapid disease surveillance and containment are more critical than ever. Climate change, conflicts, and unplanned urbanization continue to heighten risks, underscoring the urgency of strengthening health security systems including field epidemiology capacities.

The landscape of field epidemiology is evolving, with increasing demands in emerging areas such as zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, genomics, and non-communicable diseases, while high demands to investigate and respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases continue. 

To meet these challenges, the Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETP) are shaping a new generation of health professionals, equipping them with the skills needed to protect communities from emerging health threats.

Guided by the Regional Roadmap to Advance Field Epidemiology Capacities 2025–2029, WHO is supporting Member States in strengthening national training efforts to ensure a well-trained workforce capable of tackling infectious disease outbreaks, health emergencies and other public health threats.   

Recent initiatives

Recent initiatives highlight a collective commitment to strengthening health security and addressing emerging public health threats across the Region.

Maldives launched its first Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) to strengthen its public health workforce in June 2024. On 20 February 2025, five professionals completed the 8.5-month program, gaining expertise in outbreak detection, surveillance analysis, risk assessment, and communication. The program was hosted by Maldives Health Protection Agency, with support from expert teams consisting of WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia (WHO SEARO), WHO Maldives, WHO India and FETP Thailand in its development and implementation. 

The graduates are expected to serve as trainers for training programmes for front-line workers in the atoll and islands. 

Timor-Leste launched its Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program on 17 February 2025, enhancing its national preparedness against infectious diseases. This program is being implemented by the National Institute of Public Health, Timor-Leste (INSPTL) with support from WHO SEARO, WHO Timor-Leste, and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). This initiative aims to strengthen the skills of frontline health workers, equipping them with essential competencies to effectively detect and respond to outbreaks.

Strengthening training and mentorship

India:  As part of regional efforts to strengthen field epidemiology capacity, a Learning to Transform Training Workshop was conducted from 20–24 January 2025 at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi, India.

The workshop aimed to enhance the facilitation and mentoring skills of trainers and mentors from India’s Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), equipping them with adult learning principles and experiential training techniques.

Facilitated by experts from WHO SEARO and WHO India, the event engaged 20 participants from FETP India and partners such as the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and SAFTEYNET. Participants successfully applied interactive facilitation methods, such as brainstorming, Four Corners, and role-play exercises, to update existing training curricula. Feedback emphasized the importance of creating safe learning environments, objective assessment in experiential training, and continued peer support networks to sustain skill application. 

The workshop reinforced WHO’s commitment to building a robust public health workforce by strengthening training and mentoring capabilities within India’s FETP system. 

Thailand’s Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), hosted by the Division of Epidemiology, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, has been officially designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre (WHO CC) for Field Epidemiology Training in December 2024, a recognition of its leadership in field epidemiology and commitment to building workforce to advance global health security.

Thailand pioneered FETP in the Region over 40 years ago and has been an active partner of WHO SEARO, contributing to international FETP courses and workshops. In the past year, it has provided technical support to FETP programs in Maldives and Bhutan, enrolled a fellow from Nepal in its International FETP and played a key role in a joint review of FETP Bangladesh.

As a WHO Collaborating Centre, Thailand FETP is set to play an even greater role in advancing field epidemiology capacities across the Region and strengthening global disease prevention and control efforts.

Institutionalizing and optimizing field epidemiology training

Sri Lanka: Recognizing the importance of field epidemiology training, Sri Lanka’s Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, requested WHO Sri Lanka and WHO SEARO to conduct a scoping mission from 2 to 7 February 2025. The mission aimed to assess the country’s training landscape in alignment with the Regional Roadmap to Advance Field Epidemiology Capacities (2025–2029).

The assessment focused on workforce training needs, infrastructure readiness, stakeholder engagement, and the integration of field epidemiology competencies into Sri Lanka’s public health training framework. As the country embarks on the development of a CDC-like model for disease control, its well-established workforce, and strong institutional capacities position Sri Lanka as a potential regional training hub for field epidemiology in the South-East Asia Region.

Bangladesh, with its multi-tiered Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), is moving towards institutionalization in its next phase. Building on a decade of achievements, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) requested a joint review of FETP in Bangladesh to further advance this effort.

Supported by WHO Bangladesh, WHO SEARO, SAFETYNET, FETP India, and FETP Thailand, the review documented key achievements and identified areas for further improvement. As a next step, Bangladesh aims to translate these findings into a national strategic plan, strengthening FETP’s effectiveness and long-term sustainability.

Nepal having successfully implemented the Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) nationwide, it is now advancing its epidemiological capacity with the development of a national roadmap. Aligned with the Regional Roadmap, WHO is providing technical and strategic support to ensure the plan aligns with the national priorities, sets clear targets, and strengthens Nepal’s ability to detect and respond effectively to public health threats.

A resilient and future-ready workforce to address public health threats

These initiatives collectively highlight the ongoing commitment of WHO and its partners to strengthen field epidemiology capacity, ensuring that countries are better equipped to detect and respond to public health threats. Through training, collaboration, and continuous learning, the region is taking significant steps toward a more resilient public health workforce - one that continues to safeguard lives and strengthen regional and global health security.

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