Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control
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Item Some Demographic Characteristics of two rural communities in Southern Ghana(Ghana Medical Journal, 1988-09) Afari, E.A.; Nakano, T.; Owusu-Adjei, S.A study of the demographic characteristics of two rural villages in Southern Ghana in 1987 showed an average rate of natural population increase of 3.8 percent compared to 3.2 per cent recorded nationally (1984 census data). The crude death rates and Infant Mortality rates were far lower than the figures usually quoted, although the birth rate was similar to the national average. It is suggested that if such rates exist in similar villages in Ghana, then official projections are underestimates and will have grave consequences on national development plans. It appears that Primary Health Care (PHC) has succeeded in reducing deaths but has not affected births. Family planning must, therefore, receive more attention.Item Infectious Disease Control in Ghana: Government's Interventions and Challenges to Malaria Eradication(Water and Sanitation-Related Diseases and the Environment: Challenges, Interventions, and Preventive Measures, 2011-10) Fobil, J.N.; May, J.; Kraemer, A.Introduction Ghana Malaria Control Initiatives-Past and Present Successes, Challenges, and Weaknesses of Control Strategies Conclusion and Recommendations ReferencesItem Strengthening Applied Epidemiology in West Africa: Progress, Gaps, and Advancing a Regional Strategy to Improve Health Security(Health Security, 2021) Lokossou, V.K.; Kenu, E.; Sombie, I.; et al.The ability to prevent, promptly detect, and appropriately respond to a public health threat is essential for health security. Field epidemiology training has helped increase the quality and quantity of the public health workforce to strengthen disease surveillance, outbreak preparedness and response, and general public health capacity. We conducted a desk review on the status of the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program model in 16 countries in West Africa. We also developed a questionnaire and shared it with West African Health Organization (WAHO) member states to document their experiences and the status of training in their countries. WAHO organized a regional 3-day consultative meeting with major stakeholders in the region to examine progress, gaps, and challenges, and outline a roadmap to strengthen the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program. Stakeholders shared their experiences, engaged in discussions to identify strengths and gaps, and made plans for a way forward. Member states are at different levels of implementing field epidemiology and laboratory training programs in their countries, and, therefore, major gaps remain in the number and distribution of trained episode biologists throughout West Africa. Member states implement different variants of the program and in some instances, the same cadre of health workers are trained in different but comparable programs with different funding streams. Two member states had not begun implementing the training program. Developing regional centers of excellence was recommended in the long term while collaboration among member states to train the required number of epidemiologists to fill the acute needs could be helpful in the short and medium term. Curriculum harmonization and expansion, deployment and use of trained epidemiologists, accreditation of training institutions, and generation of indigenous funding streams are recommended to improve the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program in West Africa.