WHO initiative to strengthen epidemiological sector in the South-East Asian region

To strenghten response capacities to health emergencies, WHO and its member countries in South-East Asia Region are prioritizing enhancing field epidemiology workforce. In the COVID-19 pandemic, field epidemiologists took various roles to coordinate, plan, monitor, surveil, track contacts, investigate cases, etc. In both disease outbreaks and after natural disasters, field epidemiologists played an important role assessing risk, surveiling and responding. Preparing and qualifying the health workforce with Field Epidemiology Training Programmes (FETP), makes stronger capability of a country to surge and respond to future events.