Context

The Mediterranean region and the Black Sea region are close neighbours of the European Union and are particularly exposed to health risks (epidemic, pandemic) and disasters (man-made or natural) which can have a serious impact on populations, resources and infrastructures and could undermine the region's efforts for sustainable development.

Objectives

Enhancing health security in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions by supporting capacity-building for prevention and control of biological, natural, or man-made health threats through the further roll-out of a sustainable training program in intervention epidemiology. Extension of the Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) and other training activities in Mediterranean and Black Sea countries:
• To train a regional cadre of field epidemiologists competent in intervention epidemiology to carry out essential public health functions for prevention and control of communicable diseases and capable of disseminating their knowledge, skills and attitudes and nurture a regional network of field epidemiologists;
• To train national trainers and supervisors in field epidemiology from the participating public health institutions, to provide support to cascade trainings down to regional and local levels and to nurture a regional network of trainers/supervisors;
• Disseminate experience, knowledge and skills on methodologies related to ""on-the-job training"" between non-EU countries, EU partners and other key actors in the field, during national and regional field epidemiology training programs, workshops or events as well as during relevant European activities such as the EPiet and EUPhem programs;
• Foster country commitment, ownership and regional networking to share practices and experiences as essential conditions for building-in sustainability of the FETP programs.