06/11/2019
Colleagues from PHE’s International Health Regulations (IHR) Strengthening Project have been working with colleagues from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to enhance global health security.
The IHR project sees PHE working with National Public Health Institutions and health ministries in six countries: Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Pakistan, Myanmar and Zambia.
The project includes hosting technical training in a range of areas such as epidemiology and surveillance, microbiology and diagnostics, emergency preparedness and response, and chemicals and radiation.
Over the past year, PHE has participated in several international activities to support national public health agencies and strengthen public health systems, including our recent work with Nigerian colleagues.
 Use of a microbiological safety cabinet |
 Demonstrating a spillage scenario |
 Delegates received their certificates after completing the workshop |
Workshop for laboratory staff
In September, colleagues from PHE’s National Infection Service (NIS) hosted a training workshop in Colindale on quality management systems and health and safety for delegates from NCDC’s national reference laboratory.
The week-long workshop included practical sessions and interactive lectures on quality indicators, incident investigation, uncertainty of measurement, audit training, creating an audit checklist, shadowing an examination audit and vertical audit reviews.
The delegates rated the whole experience as ‘Excellent’ and felt that the week had met their needs while giving them food for thought and actions to take back to their place of work, informed by their learning from PHE colleagues.
Biosafety and biosecurity workshops in Abuja, Nigeria
A few weeks later, colleagues from the Nigerian Reference Laboratory hosted a biosafety and biosecurity training workshop in Abuja. 14 participants from NCDC attended the training which aimed to increase awareness of biosafety practices and to teach transferable techniques and skills.
PHE’s Novel and Dangerous Pathogens (NADP) team and NIS delivered the training, which was well received, with enthusiastic engagement and participation. One delegate remarked, “the training materials are excellent. Both classroom presentations and practical activities were very useful and simple. Expected complex areas were very well simplified by the trainers. For me, it’s been a rewarding experience having participated in this biosafety training.”
 Interactive lecture sessions on quality management system |
 Delegates at the National Reference Library – Abuja, Nigeria |