Organized by TEPHINET, World Field Epidemiology Day (#WorldFieldEpidemiologyDay) is a global movement to recognize and raise awareness of the vital role of field epidemiologists in protecting the health of populations and advancing global health security, and to advocate for increased investment in field epidemiology training, research, and professionals.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented visibility to the work of field epidemiologists, but this visibility has not always resulted in understanding the importance of field epidemiology, nor in the increased support needed to strengthen public health systems around the globe to better detect and respond to outbreaks.
We invite you to join World Field Epidemiology Day through action, communication and advocacy. Share your work and your stories online, organize an event, and call on leaders to take action. Together, we can make a strong case for increased support and investment in field epidemiology for the health and security of the world.
Why September 7?
On this date in 1854, John Snow took his findings from his now-famous investigation of the Broad Street cholera outbreak to local officials, leading them to take action and remove the handle of the offending water pump.
Who Are Field Epidemiologists?
Field epidemiologists are the world's "disease detectives" responsible for investigating public health signals to confirm outbreaks and identify cases, contacts, and risk factors for disease. Around the world, their work advances evidence-based knowledge that strengthens public health policies and interventions. The community-level knowledge and experiences they acquire through their work enable them to provide decision makers with information to generate strategies for effective health interventions and programs. Many field epidemiologists have multidisciplinary expertise that allows them to respond to a wide range of health issues.
What is TEPHINET?
TEPHINET is the global network of Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs) currently comprising 75 programs training field epidemiologists in more than 100 countries. Worldwide, more than 19,000 "disease detectives" have graduated from an FETP.
Our mission is to develop, connect, and mobilize a global field epidemiology workforce to strengthen public health systems and advance health security. We envision a world where all people are protected by a field epidemiology workforce capable of detecting and responding to health threats.
Check out the Global Field Epidemiology Roadmap to learn more about the path to achieving this vision.