GH11-001: CONDUCTING PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH THROUGH FIELD EPIDEMIOLOGY AND LABORATORY TRAIN

描述（由申请人提供）： 尽管非洲人口只占世界人口的12%，但它却承担着全球最大的疾病负担。再加上卫生人力资源严重短缺和财政短缺，造成很大一部分卫生保健资源被转用于治疗性医疗活动，而牺牲了公共卫生活动。运筹学是公共卫生实践的一个重要组成部分，一直被严重忽视，但它对循证决策至关重要。为改善非洲的公共卫生做法，采用了各种办法。其中之一是在各国建立现场流行病学（和实验室）培训方案。FE（L）TP是基于能力的培训计划，培训流行病学家和公共卫生实验室工作人员，通过实地工作实习处理其社区的优先公共卫生问题，这些实习占学员时间的70%。非洲现场流行病学网络（AFENET）是非洲FE（L）贸易点的网络联盟。有11个成员项目和500多名毕业生，非洲的公共卫生实践正在呈现新的面貌，因为这些毕业生中的许多人留在他们的祖国，他们影响卫生保健的政策和实践。通过这个项目，我们的目标是通过支持FE（L）TP学员开展研究项目，使他们能够获得能力，并解决卫生部的优先事项，促进非洲卫生部以证据为基础的公共卫生实践。更具体地说，我们希望通过FE（L）TP支持非洲卫生部开展业务研究;监测受此赠款支持的受训人员研究项目的进展情况;并促进此类项目成果的传播，以促进循证决策。我们预计，该项目将加强我们与非洲卫生部以及其他地方和国际伙伴的现有合作。更重要的是，这是我们通过改进公共卫生做法为改善非洲人健康作出贡献的一个机会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Though Africa has only 12% of the world's population, it bears the biggest burden of disease globally. This, coupled with an acute shortage of human resources for health and financial shortages, has caused a large proportion of health care resources to be diverted to curative medical practice, at the expense of public health practice. Operational research, a key component of public health practice has been grossly neglected, yet it is critical for evidence-based decision making. Various approaches have been used in an attempt to improve public health practice in Africa. One of these is the establishment of Field Epidemiology (and Laboratory) Training Programs (FE(L)TPs) in various countries. FE(L)TPs are competency-based training programs that train epidemiologists and public health laboratorians to deal with priority public health issues in their communities through field work placements that take up to 70% of trainees' time. The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is a networking alliance of FE(L)TPs in Africa. With 11 member programs and over 500 graduates from the programs, public health practice in Africa is taking on a new face, as many of these graduates remain in their home countries where they influence policy and practice in health care. Through this project, we aim to promote evidence-based public health practice in African Ministries of Health by supporting FE(L)TP trainees to conduct research projects that enable them to attain competences as well as address Ministry of Health priorities. More specifically, we hope to support African Ministries of Health to carry out operational research through FE(L)TPs; monitor the progress of research projects of trainees supported by this grant; and promote the dissemination of the findings of such projects to promote evidence-based decision-making. We anticipate that this project will strengthen our existing collaboration with African Ministries of Health, and other local and international partners. More importantly, it is an opportunity for us to make a contribution towards improving the health of Africans through improved public health practice.