Epidemiology for Africa
Epidemiology is a vital research area in a world filled with emerging infections and poverty-related diseases. This is especially the case in Africa, where poor infrastructure and a high prevalence of contagious illnesses make infectious disease outbreaks commonplace. The APARET (African programme for advanced research epidemiology training) project coordinated an advanced training programme for graduates of Field Epidemiology (Laboratory) Training Programmes in Africa. Once selected, APARET fellows entered into a two-year contract with host institutions to conduct epidemiological research with support from APARET mentors. During the first year, fellows participated in workshops and seminars to gain skills in project design and proposal writing. In the second year, each fellow independently pursued research projects and applied for other research funding. APARET provided funding for 3 groups of 8 African epidemiology researchers, of whom 23 successfully completed the programme. The fellows worked on diverse topics such as rotavirus vaccine rollout and febrile diseases in newborns and infants. All fellows were embedded into their host institutions in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. They received on-the-job training with support from their supervisors and distance support from their mentors. Project outcomes will have a long-term impact on African epidemiology by building capacity for local research and strengthening host African institutions.
Keywords
Epidemiology, Africa, postgraduate researchers, diseases
