Highlights from the First SAFETP Alumni Gathering

South Africa (SA) has complex disease epidemiology, with health problems affecting low- and high-income groups differently. The interplay of these diseases with lifestyle and social determinants, as well as environmental factors, is becoming increasingly apparent.

Epidemiologists study the occurrence and trends of disease to provide critical information for action. With multiple diseases and epidemics colliding in SA, epidemiologists are required to provide sound evidence, interpretation, and actionable recommendations for public health policy and practice.

The South African Field Epidemiology Training Programme (SAFETP) aims to increase epidemiological capacity in SA and provides a full complement of basic, intermediate, and advanced field epidemiology training programmes. By the end of 2023, the programme had trained 134 advanced-tier residents since 2007.

The SAFETP alumni association held its inaugural symposium on 13 and 14 May 2024 in Pretoria, SA. The objectives of the symposium were to promote the sharing of public health knowledge among alumni and other public health colleagues, to reflect on progress made, to guide future directions, and to foster collaboration and networking opportunities among public health professionals and policymakers. Prominent speakers shared insights on recent events in their scope of expertise. FETP graduates presented recent research projects, outbreak investigations, or surveillance system evaluations. Talks and presentations followed three general themes, which all encompassed the overarching theme of the National Public Health Institute of South Africa (NAPHISA): Connecting Public Health.

Highlights

• The NICD Deputy Director, Dr Natalie Mayet introduced research by SAFETP alumnus Brett Archer on collaborative surveillance. She emphasised Africa’s progress toward integrated public health institutes, stressing the need for relationships within a legal framework for lasting collaboration. While South Africa has pockets of excellence in various health areas, a unified approach is needed. The NAPHISA Act, signed in 2020, offers a legal framework for collaboration and could serve as the intelligence arm of National Health Insurance, supporting evidence-based decision-making.
• The head of the Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases at NICD, Dr Jacqueline Weyer, noted that while One Health is not new, its implementation in South Africa may be suboptimal. The One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHELP) provides frameworks, including strengthening health systems and addressing antimicrobial resistance. Despite COVID-19’s One Health focus, there is no legal framework in South Africa. Current initiatives include drafting a regional One Health programme with Southern African Development Community member states.
• Director of Environmental Health at KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, Ms Babongile Mhlongo, discussed advancing NAPHISA with a robust framework for integrating human and animal surveillance for cost-effective action. She noted a limitation in environmental surveillance data, which is underutilised. SAFETP residents were urged to incorporate human, animal, and environmental health into surveillance projects to enhance collaboration within One Health framework, improving overall effectiveness.
• Deputy Director for Non-Communicable Diseases at the Gauteng Department of Health, Mr Patrick Magodzho, discussed South Africa’s NCD strategic plan, which follows the 5×5 and 90-60-50 approaches. The 5×5 plan targets five NCDs and five modifiable risk factors, while the 90-60-50 approach focuses on awareness, treatment, and control of blood pressure and glucose levels. Mr Magodzho emphasised the need for improved NCD surveillance, suggesting NAPHISA could be key in achieving the plan’s goals.

Overall, the SAFETP alumni symposium united junior and senior public health professionals to discuss critical issues in South Africa, Africa, and globally. It highlighted the gap in holistic surveillance for both communicable and non-communicable diseases, as current systems often work in isolation. The NAPHISA is anticipated to enhance surveillance for NCDs, One Health, and infectious diseases in country by fostering information sharing and integration, potentially also offering valuable business intelligence for the NHI.

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