The Task Force for Global Health

The COVID-19 vaccine implementation program (CoVIP) supports CDC's initiative of COVID-19 vaccination deployment to Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and support LMICs through subawards and technical assistance. The overall goal of the project was to increase COVID-19 uptake and the objectives were to reduce COVID-19 disease burden, enhance global health security and strengthen capacity to vaccinate in response to any future epidemic and pandemic threat. We received over $7.8M in FY21 to support this CoVIP and we received an over $46M from September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022 to support consultants and countries and TFGH operational costs. Majority of this funding has been provided by CDC to fund this project until September 2024. To date, approximately $19M has been contracted through subawards to 38 countries. CoVIP has funded 7 mass vaccination campaigns, 6 vaccine effectiveness studies and 10 COVID-19 post introduction evaluations. 25 countries requested support for communications activities and 24 countries requested support for program planning. A total of 32 countries received technical support through the deployment of 40 (34 country-specific and 6 regional consultants). We supported countries in the following areas: Planning, implementation and evaluation, strategic information, demand creation/communication, vaccine safety, workforce development, vaccine effectiveness, humanitarian setting and immunization delivery science. Virtual trainings were conducted in collaboration with CDC Subject matter experts and the TFGH CoVIP coordination team. Nine monthly calls were held to support consultants to provide a peer learning forum for consultants and capacity building. The 34 country-specific consultants supported 13 countries (Angola, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivovire, DR, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia). The 6 regional consultants supported 19 countries in Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Central America, the Middle East, and North Africa.

* The TEPHINET Program awarded more than $133,000 in small grants to 19 Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) fellows and alumni to enable field projects contributing to infectious and non-infectious disease prevention and control. * From July-October 2022, TEPHINET supported training in "Epidemiological Methods in Humanitarian Emergencies" for 66 FETP graduates and healthcare professionals in the South Caucasus and Eastern European region in collaboration with WHO and CDC. * TEPHINET joined WHO, International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), College of Public Health Medicine of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CPHM (CMSA)), and Global Network for Academic Public Health (GNAPH), Faculty of Public Health (FPH) to contribute to the development of a roadmap for driving progress toward health workforce capacity building and strengthening countries' ability to perform essential public health functions and engage in emergency preparedness and response. * TEPHINET launched the 6th cycle of advanced FETP accreditation, as well as the very first cycle of accreditation for intermediate programs, and the first round of re-accreditation for previously accredited programs. Four advanced level and two intermediate level programs were accredited in 2022. * On September 7, we TEPHINET the second global celebration of the World Field Epidemiology Day, reaching more than 35 million people on social media and through events held across the globe. Two sessions were held during the 11th TEPHINET Global Scientific Conference in Panama, focused on the theme of Empowering Field Epidemiologists for Stronger Health Systems and reaching 600 people. * In partnership with the Executive Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America and the Dominican Republic (SE-COMISCA), TEPHINET held its 11th Global Scientific Conference in Panama from September 4-9, bringing together 600 in person and virtual attendees from 65 countries. The event featured more than 200 oral and poster presentations from FETP fellows and alumni, 14 plenary and keynote sessions, and 14 pre-conference workshops on topics including learning, quality improvement, emergency response, statistical analysis, impact evaluation and scientific writing. * TEPHINET co-hosted the 21st FETP International Nights in a virtual format, connecting nearly 700 public health professionals from around the world to learn about the work of 30 FETP fellows from 20 countries. * TEPHINET advocated for global field epidemiology capacity building and investment in FETPs through participation in the 75th World Health Assembly and a meeting of the Working Group on Strengthening WHO Preparedness and Response to Health Emergencies (WGPR). * TEPHINET officially assumed its role as the secretariat to the FETP Enterprise Strategic Leadership Group (SLG), which was formed to provide high-level leadership and accountability for the Global Field Epidemiology Roadmap. The SLG and its associated working groups have been meeting throughout 2021 to develop implementation plans for the Roadmap's recommendations. * TEPHINET supported training in R statistical software for 54 FETP fellows and graduates, equipping them with the tools and skills needed to improve data collection and analysis during outbreak response. We also provided financial support for the translation of related materials, including the Epidemiologist R handbook, into Russian and Spanish, increasing access for non-English speakers. * In partnership with the Global Consortium for Climate and Health Education (GCHE), TEPHINET formed a working group on climate change and health aimed at equipping FETPs with the knowledge and skills needed to respond to climate-related health threats. The group hosted 7 webinars on different climate and health topics, connecting more than 700 individuals. * In April and September 2022, TEPHINET helped trained 47 epidemiologists from 17 countries in public health emergency response in collaboration with CDC and GOARN. * TEPHINET launched 3 free e-learning and classroom resources on the TEPHINET Learning Center, and continued to review our learning strategy and establish key relationships and work plans with FETP enterprise stakeholders to drive progress toward learning quality improvement for FETPs and fellows. * TEPHINET piloted mentorship training programs in India, Rwanda and Malawi, strengthen "soft skills" of both mentors and mentees to improve the mentoring relationship within FETPs and outcomes for FETP residents receiving mentorship. * Through cooperative agreements with our funding partners, CDC and the U.S. Department of State, TEPHINET implemented over 120 projects worldwide aimed at strengthening health systems, improving disease surveillance and response, and increasing public health workforce capacity in field epidemiology. * TEPHINET awarded more than $87,000 in COVID-19 mini grants to five South American FETPs to equip fellows and alumni with the necessary tools to contribute to the COVID-19 response, as well as future outbreak responses, in their countries. * TEPHINET supported strategic planning efforts for the network of South American FETPs (REDSUR) to help strengthen its presence in the region and serve as a collaborative network that supports the development and strengthening of FETPs through partnership and sharing of best practices among member countries. These efforts also included supporting the launch of new FETPs in the region and new tiers for existing FETPs.

The Public Health Informatic Institute (PHII) provided direct services to the U.S. public health system through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and funding from the De Beaumont Foundation, USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT (ONC). This funding supported PHII and its partners in efforts to increase the capacity of public health informaticians and other public health leaders and practitioners to improve the collection, management and use of information and information technology for protecting and improving health and reducing disparities. Key activities included providing workforce development and online tools to state and local health departments on the subject of prioritizing and initiating ongoing data modernization efforts; providing training to public health professionals in essential informatics competencies; and equipping four pilot sites across the United States to commence data collection on opioid use disorder in pregnant women. At the beginning of the year, PHII hosted a workshop for data modernization efforts attended by 60 different jurisdictional public health departments from across the United States. A different workforce development initiative for new leaders of immunization information systems (IIS) served nine U.S. states and territories in attendance at a three-day, in-person workshop. PHII has also hosted an innovative learning community to provide peer-to-peer learning and support for public health immunization programs that are migrating their IIS to new platforms; 16 U.S. jurisdictions participated in this learning community during the 2022 fiscal year. Additionally, PHII is an ongoing partner on a collaborative Gates Foundation-funded project that is collecting data to reduce childhood mortality across the globe; this project is working on mortality surveillance activities at seven sites in Asia and Sub Saharan Africa, and provides a real-time dashboard of mortality data across all sites, which to-date have included 12,286 eligible reported deaths. This past year, PHII also served as a key partner on the PCORnet initiative, which captures information on patients diagnosed with respiratory illness or SARS-CoV-2, providing details on demographics, comorbidity and treatment. Surveillance data are collected from 40 participating sites. PHII is also engaged with USAID funding for ongoing support of the creation and launch of a new, modernized database for tracking neglected tropical diseases; this year, these efforts included technical assistance for the development of core functional applications and convening a working forum for requirements development across key partners. The existence of this database will unify and standardize tracking and data analysis efforts that are part of the global, inter-organizational campaign to eliminate and eradicate neglected tropical diseases.

Additional accomplishments were made by other Programs that include the International Trachoma Initiative, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Global Partnership for Zero Leprosy, Children Without Worms, Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, Mectizan Donation Program, Health Campaign Effectiveness, Partnership for Influenza Vaccine Introduction, Global Funders Consortium for Universal Influenza Vaccine Development,Voices for Vaccines, Brighton Collaboration, Polio Eradication Center, Focus Area for Compassion and Ethics, and MedSurplus Alliance. During the year, these programs worked towards preventing, controlling and eliminating diseases such as intestinal worms, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, polio, river blindness, trachoma and viral hepatitis. The programs also protected the health populations of the people served by building strong health systems that can train qualified disease detectives, build evidence-based structures to get medicines and vaccines to people, and ensure that communities have the supplies and information they need to fight diseases. This is done through disease surveillance, information systems, medicines, medical equipment and supplies, operational research, outbreak response, seasonal influenza and pandemic preparedness, and vaccines.