Fifty-three experts on public health, from nineteen different countries, are participating in the fourth module of the training programme on the prevention of epidemics during crises and in places with mass gatherings as part of the 2016 training offered by the MediPIET project.

The training was held in Jordan, in collaboration with the country’s Ministry of Health, with the objectives of visiting the Zaatari refugee camp and to apply the knowledge acquired in the field.  In addition to MediPIET representatives, course participants included representatives of the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET).

The gathering of all the participants was officially opened by the MediPIET Scientific Coordinator for the module, Dr Nikoletta Mavroeidi, and the Head of Surveillance Department at Jordan’s Ministry of Health, Dr Sultan Alqasrawi. At the session, both highlighted the growing interest in strengthening the links between the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET) and MediPIET in order to find a harmonised response to the problems and threats in worldwide public health.

The training was attended by participants from Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova, Montenegro, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and Jordan.

MediPIET project

This is a three-year project funded by the European Commission and led by FIIAPP in collaboration with the National Epidemiology Centre of the Carlos III Public Health Institute. It consists of the implementation of a specialised technical training programme for experts in management and epidemiological intervention in response to an incident (provoked or accidental) involving biological agents in the countries of the Eastern and Southern vicinity of the Mediterranean region. These are risks that fall under the heading of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats.