Strengthening Global Disease Surveillance and Response through Field Epidemiology Training: Insights from Sri Lanka’s FETP-2025

Background In alignment with the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005) and the WHO South-East Asia Regional Strategic Framework for Action (2023), Sri Lanka relaunched its Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) in 2025 after a decade-long hiatus. The initiative aimed to strengthen national capacity for timely disease surveillance and outbreak response by building a skilled and responsive public health workforce. Methods A two-week FETP was conducted by the Epidemiology Unit of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). The programme trained 25 district-level public health officers, including six Regional Epidemiologists and 19 Medical Officers of Health, using a blended learning approach. The curriculum combined interactive lectures, field visits, practical data analysis exercises, and real-world case studies, focusing on core epidemiological concepts, outbreak investigation, vaccine-preventable disease surveillance, and the One Health approach. Pre- and post-training assessments were used to measure knowledge gains, analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results Participants demonstrated a statistically significant 29.9% improvement in knowledge following the training (p < 0.001). Qualitative feedback and observational assessments also indicated strengthened competencies in surveillance, outbreak investigation, and evidence-based decision-making. Conclusions The FETP 2025 effectively enhanced the skills of public health officers involved in frontline disease surveillance and response. To ensure sustained impact, it is recommended that future iterations of the programme expand in duration, incorporate advanced epidemiological modules, and establish structured post-training mentorship and evaluation mechanisms. These enhancements will further support Sri Lanka’s commitment to IHR (2005) implementation and the development of a resilient, well-prepared public health system.