NEWS (2025)
Historic Milestone: First SAFETP Frontline Cohort for Port of Entry Officials Launched
We are excited to announce the enrolment of the first-ever South Africa FETP Frontline Cohort for Port of Entry officials!
The first workshop, held from 3–7 November 2025, brought together Environmental Health Practitioners and Veterinarians from various ports of entry across the country.
This training, conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization (South Africa), South African National Department of Health, and the Border Management Authority (BMA), takes an integrated One Health approach; strengthening surveillance, cross-border coordination, and public health response capacities at points of entry.
A truly engaging and historic start for SAFETP and South Africa’s public health system!
SAFETP Advance Orientation – Cohort 2025
From 13–17 January 2025, SAFETP team welcomed cohort XIX (2025 cohort) of its two-year Advanced Training Programme. A total of nine residents—comprising medical scientist, medical technologists, professional nurse, clinical associates, pharmacist, environmental health practitioner and public health researcher were accepted into the programme. During the week, the team provided the new cohort with detailed information about SAFETP, i.e. programme administration, structure, scientific communication activities, and residents’ role and responsibilities. During this week, the SAFETP hosted the first scientific seminar for the year 2025. The scientific seminar platform helps residents develop oral scientific communication skills. During this session, nine second-year residents shared findings from projects conducted during their field placements.
Frontline Trainings
From 10–14 February 2025, SAFETP conducted the final workshop and completion ceremony for the Limpopo FETP-Frontline cohort at the training centre in Polokwane. A total of 18 healthcare professionals—including Public Health Registrars, unit Coordinators, Environmental Health Practitioners, and Infection Prevention and Control personnel—successfully completed the training. Ready to tackle disease surveillance and data management issues, and respond to public health threats in the provinces!
From 3 March to 23 May, the SAFETP collaborated with the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to enrol FETP-Frontline of animal health professionals. This training aimed to address gaps in surveillance data practices, and to strengthen outbreak investigation and response capabilities. A total of 13 participants has undergone intensive training to strengthen their skills in disease surveillance, outbreak investigation and data management. Participants showcased their acquired skills through presentations of surveillance data analyses and outbreak investigations during the final workshop of the training. Interesting investigations such as african horse sickness, african swine fever, bovine brucellosis, etc. were presented.
Intermediate Training
South Africa Field Epidemiology Training Programme successfully completed eight FETP-Intermediate workshops for the Eastern Cape Cohort from May 2024 to March 2025. The cohort conducted a group project focusing on “Knowledge, Attitude, Practices and Barriers towards seasonal influenza vaccination in the Eastern Cape Province, 2025”
From 5–9 May 2025, the SAFETP collaborated with the Mpumalanga Province Department of Health to enrol FETP-Intermediate cohort V. The eleven participants include Communicable Disease Control Coordinators, Infection Prevention and Control Coordinators, and Environmental Health Practitioners from the District Department of Health, Local Municipalities, and the Border Management Authority. These training aims to strengthen the epidemiologic capacity and public health surveillance in the province.
Advance Cohort Completion Ceremony
The South Africa Field Epidemiology Training Programme held the completion ceremony for the 10 2023 Advanced Cohort graduates on 15 May 2025 at the Premier Hotel, OR Tambo. The event marked the culmination of the cohort’s training journey and featured speeches by distinguished guests, including Gauteng MEC for Health, Mrs Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, representatives from University of Witwatersrand (WITS), University of Pretoria (UP), United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) -South Africa Country Office and National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). As part of the celebration, cohort members delivered oral presentations showcasing key findings from their core learning activities and highlights from their residency experience.
Conferences
SAFETP residents and staff members attended Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA 2025) held in the Western Cape from 6-9 April 2025. Some of the projects presented include Cancer Incidence Trends, suspected food poisoning outbreak investigation, performance of the vaginal discharge algorithm in identifying vaginal candidiasis among women presenting with vaginal discharge syndrome etc.
