Activities by strategy  Strategy 1 - Harmonisation of health data needs and development of adequate surveillance systems
Strategy 2 - Development of relevant computer applications Strategy 3 - Adaptation of field epidemiology and public health surveillance training programmes to local and regional needs Strategy 4 - Promoting the use of e-mail, and opening the network to new clients, new services and other networks Strategy 5 - Publications Strategy 3 - Adaptation of field epidemiology and public health surveillance training programmes to local and regional needs This strategy aims to develop a regional pool of experts in public health surveillance and response (including outbreak investigation). This pool should develop and network in the framework of the PPHSN and be as far as possible self-reliant, i.e. limit the needs for external expertise to outstanding situations. A reference document for a regional, service-oriented Training in Public Health In 1997-8, Mahomed Patel, who has been involved since the beginning in the process of preparing the ground for the PPHSN and represented NCEPH and CDN-ANZ at the PPHSN Coordinating Body, performed a consultancy for SPC and the PPHSN. The terms of reference of the work were: "To propose a framework for the development of modular training in public health surveillance (including field epidemiology), based on the networking of the training resources available in the Pacific. The training scheme will include distance learning and supervision by using advances in information and communication technology. It will have full academic recognition and fit Pacific Island realities." Mahomed produced a report to SPC and PPHSN: "Service-Oriented Training in Public Health. A Model for Enhancing Public Health Surveillance in the Pacific". This document is a reference for further training developments in public health and public health surveillance in the region.  Short training courses in public health surveillance and outbreak investigation
From 1998 to 2001, as part of the PPHSN, SPC run two series of sub-regional training sessions in public health surveillance. The first series was on the basics of public health surveillance, and the use of Epi Info 6 in surveillance; the second series covered the investigation of outbreaks and advanced use of Epi Info 6. As part of the PPHSN, the overall objective of these training sessions was to help building a critical mass of health professionals, who share a common set of abilities (tools and methods) for public health surveillance. The two week-long sessions were designed to introduce the practice of public health surveillance and the use of Epi Info 6 software for public health surveillance to the participants. The first week of training made the participants familiar with:  the concepts of public health surveillance,
the methodology for selecting communicable diseases and priority health indicators for surveillance, designing an operational plan for the surveillance of communicable diseases, some of the skills needed to use Epi Info 6 for surveillance. The objectives of the second week were: to understand the respective domains of epidemiology, public health surveillance and outbreak management (including information dissemination for action), to be able to plan and perform the various stages of outbreak investigation (going as far as the descriptive stage of the investigation and generating hypotheses regarding the risks). to be able to develop appropriate surveillance systems based on the use of aggregated epidemiological data, and to be familiar with aggregated data processing and analysis using Epi Info 6 to generate relevant surveillance reports. to become familiar with the new information and communication technologies tools for public health surveillance (including e-mail, PACNET and Internet use). The training programme based on these first two sessions is also available on request and à la carte at country or territory level.
As from the end of 2002, the third series of training sessions has started, with expert contribution from different PPHSN partner, with a focus on training in all stages of outbreak investigation (including testing hypotheses and comparing them with facts, i.e. analytical epidemiology) and specific use of Epi Info 6 for this purpose.
The objectives of the third session week are:
to understand the structure, role and functions of PPHSN and the role of the EpiNet teams;
to understand the role of epidemiology in the investigation of an outbreak and the steps to be followed in outbreak investigations;
to gain experience of epidemiological investigations through practical exercises;
to gain a clearer vision for developing operational plans for the activities of their own EpiNet or outbreak response teams (including also bioterrorism, and general public health surveillance and emergency planning). Each of these sessions session involves less countries and more EpiNet-related health professionals by country at a time. Training materials The training materials used for first two sessions described above are available on request to Pacific Island health professionals and students in health-related areas interested in public health surveillance and outbreak investigation.
In addition to that, in the last month of 2001, a medical doctor on attachment at SPC developed a training exercise on CD-Rom, the ‘Cholera exercise’, from a real example of cholera outbreak in the Pacific Islands and the response given to it. This CD is also available on request for self-training or as a reference tool with materials to run training sessions (e.g. the third series of the above-mentioned short training courses uses parts of it).
 The Fiji School of Medicine (FSMed) and other training institution
FSMed started training programmes for the diploma and master in public health practice respectively in 1999 and 2000. The training programmes include modules in epidemiology, public health surveillance and outbreak investigation. Efforts were made to begin collaboration between SPC and FSMed. As a result, an MOU was signed between SPC and FSMed in June 1999. Some further collaborative work is now carried out in order to achieve a good complementary regional approach, especially for the accreditation of the short training courses mentioned above and field training with other PPHSN allied bodies like PIHOA and WHO.
The National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australia National University, runs a Master of Applied Epidemiology training programme in which a Fijian student was recently enrolled (in Fiji).
There are also potential training developments in epidemiology and public health surveillance with the Area Health Education Center of Palau Community College. Taking advantage of training opportunities To avoid ending up with a purely academic and theoretical training, the training programme should include as much field work as possible. Moreover, the programme would not only benefit the trainee in this way, but also national and regional public health as a result of the trainee’s project. This field-based training approach is used by the Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) or the Public Health Schools Without Walls models.
Concretely, some of the current training opportunities are the following: attachment opportunities at the level of the Public Health Surveillance and Communicable Diseases Control (PHS&CDC) section of SPC. Six students have already benefited from these. Five of them worked on a concrete project with potential benefits for the region.
hands-on field training opportunities, during outbreak investigations, whenever epidemics occur, or during other field activities like surveillance system evaluation or development. Not only local counterparts can benefit from these, but also students from FSM for example. PPHSN allied bodies are committed to finding funds and making them available for that purpose. [Back to the top] | 
