RismadarVoice Reporters, July 28, 2026
Master of Public Health (MPH) students from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, have completed a five-week public health practicum at the Akwa Ibom State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC), acquiring practical skills in disease surveillance, outbreak response and emergency health management.
The programme, organised by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health through the Directorate of Public Health Services and the Epidemiology Unit, ran from June 25 to July 27, 2026.
The field placement was designed to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and real-life public health practice by exposing the students to Nigeria’s disease surveillance system and emergency response mechanisms.
During the training, the students received practical instruction from public health experts led by the State Epidemiologist, Dr Nchiek Edet Eneh, on Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR), Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS), outbreak investigation, Public Health Emergency Management, Community-Based Surveillance, risk communication, contact tracing, laboratory specimen collection, biosafety, monitoring and evaluation, health data management and surveillance reporting.
They also undertook field visits to the Akwa Ibom State Public Health Laboratory, Model Health Centre, Uyo, and the State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, where they observed emergency coordination, laboratory operations and disease surveillance activities.
The practicum concluded with presentations by the students outlining the knowledge and practical experience gained, lessons learnt, challenges encountered and recommendations for strengthening future public health field training.
The students said the programme provided valuable insight into Nigeria’s disease surveillance architecture and reinforced the importance of coordinated public health interventions in preventing and responding to disease outbreaks.
The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health said the initiative forms part of its commitment to building public health capacity and supporting the training of future public health professionals through practical, field-based learning experiences.
