EDCTP and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) are partnering to train 150 epidemiologists and biostatisticians across Africa. Fifteen of these “EPI-Biostat Fellows” have enrolled in their Master’s training at the University of Cabo Verde. The training consists of a 24-month full-time Master’s blended-learning programme in field epidemiology offered at the University of Cabo Verde (UniCV), based on the accumulated experiences of Mozambique and Angola. Candidates recruited come from Cabo Verde (six), Guinea-Bissau (six) and São Tomé & Príncipe (three).

During the training, the Fellows will be placed within the health system of their country of origin where they will, on a full-time basis, learn by doing and apply their theoretical knowledge in the places of the practical internships duly selected. This practical training in the countries of origin, complemented with theoretical training offered online, will allow better insertion and retention of the Fellows in their countries of origin and eventually also within their country’s National Health Services.

The training has been developed by a consortium of Portuguese-speaking African institutions and European institutions composed of five National Institutes of Public Health (African INSP), five Academic Institutions (three African and two European) and five Research Centres (three African and two European).