1 May 2025, Cairo, Egypt – In a landmark achievement for public health, the Ministry of Health and Population, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Egypt, celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of the One Health Field Epidemiology Training Programme.

This pioneering initiative, which aims to strengthen national capacity in health security and emergency preparedness, is the first of its kind in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

The 6-month programme combines intensive training with hands-on fieldwork. The programme equips participants – who spend 80% of their time on practical exercises – with the skills needed to enhance outbreak investigations, disease control and epidemic response.

The initiative aligns with WHO’s support for Egypt’s National One Health Strategic Framework, launched in 2023, which sets capacity-building as a key pillar.

The programme adopts a One Health approach, fostering collaboration across the human, animal and environmental health sectors. Partners include the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environment, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network, the National Food Safety Authority and the Egyptian Drug Authority. It is designed to ensure a unified strategy to combat diseases that affect ecosystems and populations.

Intermediate and advanced levels of the programme will be rolled out gradually, further solidifying Egypt’s commitment to building a skilled public health workforce.