Last data update: May 06, 2024. (Total: 46732 publications since 2009)
Records 1-4 (of 4 Records) |
Query Trace: Caceres VM[original query] |
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Temporary Epidemiology Field Assignee program: Supporting state and local preparedness in the wake of Ebola
Caceres VM , Goodell J , Shaffner J , Turner A , Jacobs-Wingo J , Koirala S , Molina M , Leidig R , Celaya M , McGinnis Pilote K , Garrett-Cherry T , Carney J , Johnson K , Daley WR . SAGE Open Med 2019 7 2050312119850726 Objectives: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the Temporary Epidemiology Field Assignee (TEFA) Program to help state and local jurisdictions respond to the risk of Ebola virus importation during the 2014-2016 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa. We describe steps taken to launch the 2-year program, its outcomes and lessons learned. Methods: State and local health departments submitted proposals for a TEFA to strengthen local capacity in four key public health preparedness areas: 1) epidemiology and surveillance, 2) health systems preparedness, 3) health communications, and 4) incident management. TEFAs and jurisdictions were selected through a competitive process. Descriptions of TEFA activities in their quarterly reports were reviewed to select illustrative examples for each preparedness area. Results: Eleven TEFAs began in the fall of 2015, assigned to 7 states, 2 cities, 1 county and the District of Columbia. TEFAs strengthened epidemiologic capacity, investigating routine and major outbreaks in addition to implementing event-based and syndromic surveillance systems. They supported improvements in health communications, strengthened healthcare coalitions, and enhanced collaboration between local epidemiology and emergency preparedness units. Several TEFAs deployed to United States territories for the 2016 Zika Outbreak response. Conclusion: TEFAs made important contributions to their jurisdictions' preparedness. We believe the TEFA model can be a significant component of a national strategy for surging state and local capacity in future high-consequence events. |
Surveillance training for Ebola preparedness in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Mali
Caceres VM , Sidibe S , Andre M , Traicoff D , Lambert S , King M , Kazambu D , Lopez A , Pedalino B , Guibert DJH , Wassawa P , Cardoso P , Assi B , Ly A , Traore B , Angulo FJ , Quick L . Emerg Infect Dis 2017 23 (13) S174-82 The 2014-2015 epidemic of Ebola virus disease in West Africa primarily affected Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Several countries, including Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal, experienced Ebola importations. Realizing the importance of a trained field epidemiology workforce in neighboring countries to respond to Ebola importations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Field Epidemiology Training Program unit implemented the Surveillance Training for Ebola Preparedness (STEP) initiative. STEP was a mentored, competency-based initiative to rapidly build up surveillance capacity along the borders of the at-risk neighboring countries Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau. The target audience was district surveillance officers. STEP was delivered to 185 participants from 72 health units (districts or regions). Timeliness of reporting and the quality of surveillance analyses improved 3 months after training. STEP demonstrated that mentored, competency-based training, where learners attain competencies while delivering essential public health services, can be successfully implemented in an emergency response setting. |
Early identification and prevention of the spread of Ebola in high-risk African countries
Breakwell L , Gerber AR , Greiner AL , Hastings DL , Mirkovic K , Paczkowski MM , Sidibe S , Banaski J , Walker CL , Brooks JC , Caceres VM , Arthur RR , Angulo FJ . MMWR Suppl 2016 65 (3) 21-7 In the late summer of 2014, it became apparent that improved preparedness was needed for Ebola virus disease (Ebola) in at-risk countries surrounding the three highly affected West African countries (Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia). The World Health Organization (WHO) identified 14 nearby African countries as high priority to receive technical assistance for Ebola preparedness; two additional African countries were identified at high risk for Ebola introduction because of travel and trade connections. To enhance the capacity of these countries to rapidly detect and contain Ebola, CDC established the High-Risk Countries Team (HRCT) to work with ministries of health, CDC country offices, WHO, and other international organizations. From August 2014 until the team was deactivated in May 2015, a total of 128 team members supported 15 countries in Ebola response and preparedness. In four instances during 2014, Ebola was introduced from a heavily affected country to a previously unaffected country, and CDC rapidly deployed personnel to help contain Ebola. The first introduction, in Nigeria, resulted in 20 cases and was contained within three generations of transmission; the second and third introductions, in Senegal and Mali, respectively, resulted in no further transmission; the fourth, also in Mali, resulted in seven cases and was contained within two generations of transmission. Preparedness activities included training, developing guidelines, assessing Ebola preparedness, facilitating Emergency Operations Center establishment in seven countries, and developing a standardized protocol for contact tracing. CDC's Field Epidemiology Training Program Branch also partnered with the HRCT to provide surveillance training to 188 field epidemiologists in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, and Senegal to support Ebola preparedness. Imported cases of Ebola were successfully contained, and all 15 priority countries now have a stronger capacity to rapidly detect and contain Ebola.The activities summarized in this report would not have been possible without collaboration with many U.S and international partners (http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/partners.html). |
Daily zero-reporting for suspect Ebola using short message service (SMS) in Guinea-Bissau
Caceres VM , Cardoso P , Sidibe S , Lambert S , Lopez A , Pedalino B , Herrera Guibert DJ . Public Health 2016 138 69-73 OBJECTIVE: Intensified surveillance will be vital in the elimination phase to verify Ebola-free status and mitigate potential reemergence of the disease in West Africa. Zero-reporting from high-risk districts is a key strategy for surveillance. Our objective was to implement a pilot investigation to assess the feasibility of using short message service (SMS) texting for daily reporting of Ebola cases under investigation (CUI) in Guinea-Bissau in the context of an ongoing emergency-response training program known as Surveillance Training for Ebola Preparedness (STEP). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort (pilot investigation) METHODS: The reporting period for the SMS pilot was January 24-March 24, 2015. STEP was conducted for two sequential groups during January 19-March 27, 2015 in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. Training on SMS daily reporting occurred over one hour during the first week of didactic training of each group. Fourteen participants (nine from the first group and five from the second), including one surveillance officer from each of the 13 regions in Guinea-Bissau and one from the national laboratory, were selected as reporters, receiving a simple cell phone for sending SMS indicating the number of CUI for Ebola. The WHO suspect Ebola case definition was used initially and then modified on day 32 of the pilot. The text message was sent to the WiFi-connected smartphone at the Instituto Nacional Saude Publica (INASA). The smartphone utilised an SMS-gateway application (Ushahidi SMSsync Android App) to upload the data to the Magpi cloud application. RESULTS: The average daily reporting from the first group was 7.7 of 9 (86%) and for the second group was 4.1 of 5 (82%). For the two groups combined, the reporting rate was 85%. Among the 14 reporters the median reporting rate was 85% (range 36%-100%). No cases meeting the definition for an Ebola CUI were reported during the 60 days. CONCLUSIONS: Real-time, SMS-based, daily zero-reporting can be implemented in a rapid, simple way in a low resource country. We believe that the high compliance rates were due to the simplicity and familiarity of SMS and heightened sensitivity that resulted from STEP to the importance of zero-reporting in the midst of an Ebola epidemic in neighbouring countries. This model could be useful for rapid scale-up and implementation of alert systems in other outbreaks and public health emergencies. |
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