TThe first cycle of the Field Epidemiology Master’s Programme – Cape Verde (FETP-CV) came to a close with a wide-ranging academic programme held over six days, from July 9 to 14, 2025, in the city of Mindelo, on São Vicente island. The seminar took place in the iconic Liceu Velho building, bringing together institutional representatives, faculty, researchers, and the fifteen master’s students from Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Under the theme “Scientific Production and Transition to New Challenges”, the event celebrated not only the completion of a demanding training programme but also the strengthening of public health capacity, promoting academic and scientific exchange among African Portuguese-speaking countries, with a focus on field epidemiology as a vital tool for meeting today’s health challenges.
This master’s degree is the outcome of an inter-institutional consortium involving five African National Institutes of Public Health, five academic institutions — including the Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine of NOVA University Lisbon (IHMT-NOVA), which led the project’s scientific and pedagogical coordination — and five research centers. Together they built an alliance that combines academic excellence, contextual relevance, and geographic diversity. As in other PALOP countries, this programme — integrated into the National Field Epidemiology Programme coordinated by Cape Verde’s National Institute of Public Health — represents the most advanced of the three levels of field epidemiologist training: basic, intermediate, and advanced.
The programme was made possible with financial support from the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), ensuring the institutional conditions required for high-quality postgraduate training. The project was led at GHTM by Mohsin Sidat (GHTM/IHMT-NOVA Professor), coordinated by António Pedro Delgado (University of Cape Verde – UniCv Professor) and Paulo Ferrinho (GHTM/IHMT-NOVA and UniCv Professor), with pedagogical guidance from Iniza Araújo (GHTM/IHMT-NOVA and UniCv Professor).
Day 1: Opening Session, Thesis Defenses, Science Communication, and Thematic Discussion
The seminar opened with remarks by António Pedro Delgado, project coordinator in Cape Verde, who outlined the programme’s goals and schedule, setting the stage for a week of engaged academic exchange.
The morning featured public defenses of master’s theses that highlighted the practical relevance of the students’ research: on vaccine-preventable diseases (Vanessa Besna), the epidemiology of dengue in São Tomé and Príncipe (Celdidy Monteiro), and the dengue outbreak in Cape Verde (Evily Martins).
In the afternoon, a session on strategic communication in public health, led by Sofia Rodrigues (IHMT-NOVA, PhD) with contributions from Mohsin Sidat, explored the role of science communication in translating evidence into policy and institutional action. Participants practiced writing policy briefs, drawing on students’ thesis topics as case studies.
The day ended with academic pitch-style presentations on pressing public health themes — HIV/AIDS, antimicrobial resistance, the One Health approach, vector-borne diseases, and vaccination — moderated by doctors Maria da Luz Lima, Adilson de Pina, Bonifácio Sousa, and professors Ana Abecasis and Marta Pingarilho, from GHTM/IHMT-NOVA.
Day 2: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Epidemics, Scientific Publishing, and Programme Evaluation
The second day took an interdisciplinary and participatory approach, emphasizing the contribution of the social sciences and strengthening students’ research skills. The morning opened with a session led by professor Celeste Fortes on the role of social sciences in responding to epidemics. Through a role-play exercise based on the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty and students worked in groups to simulate the dilemmas and decisions faced in health crises. The activity prompted critical reflection on the social and behavioral factors that shape epidemic response, underscoring the importance of empathy and effective communication in public health.
In the afternoon, Maria do Rosário Martins (GHTM/IHMT-NOVA Professor), joined by Ana Abecasis and Marta Pingarilho, led a training session on scientific publishing. They reviewed the essentials of preparing and submitting scientific articles, offering practical tools and structured guidance to support the production of impactful manuscripts. The session highlighted how accessible resources have made publishing significantly easier in recent years.
Later that day, student David Cá defended his thesis, “Risk factors associated with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) at Raoul Follereau Hospital, Guinea-Bissau”, providing important evidence for epidemiological surveillance and disease control.
The day concluded with the session “Overview of the FETP-CV”, led by Mohsin Sidat and moderated by Iniza Araújo. This dialogue between students and faculty allowed participants to share experiences, highlight the programme’s strengths, and propose improvements, reinforcing a collective commitment to academic quality and sustainability.
Day 3: Strategic Perspectives on Advanced Training and Professional Integration
The third day turned to the strategic future of field epidemiology training in CPLP countries, through a roundtable moderated by Maria do Rosário Martins. Panelists included representatives from Mozambique (professor Jahit Sacarlal), Angola (professor Tazi Nimi), Brazil (M.Sc. Magda Duarte), Portugal (professor Maria do Rosário Oliveira Martins), Cape Verde (professor António Delgado), São Tomé and Príncipe (Dr. Bonifácio Sousa), and Guinea-Bissau (M.Sc. Salomão Crima).
Discussions touched on the unique challenges of small island contexts, the role of artificial intelligence in epidemiological research (with reference to work at IHMT-NOVA), mental health in emergencies and outbreaks, and regional disparities in training and health system capacity. Throughout, participants emphasized the transformative impact advanced training can have on knowledge production and national readiness for public health emergencies.
In the afternoon, the roundtable “Academia vs. Labor Market”, moderated by M.Sc. Salomão Crima, sparked a lively debate on the opportunities and challenges of linking academic training with professional pathways. Speakers included professor Jahit Sacarlal (Mozambique) and doctor Joana Morais (Angola), who shared institutional experiences, followed by contributions from Maria da Luz Lima (Cape Verde), Bonifácio Sousa (São Tomé and Príncipe), moderated by M.Sc. Salomão Crima (Guinea-Bissau). They offered local perspectives and proposals to strengthen the ties between higher education, scientific production, and the needs of health systems. The session reinforced the role of epidemiologists as agents of change in public health institutions.
That same day, student Jéssica Vicente defended her thesis, “Temporal evolution of the HIV/AIDS epidemic between 2016 and 2023 in São Tomé and Príncipe”, supervised by Ana Abecasis and examined by Marta Pingarilho, adding valuable data to HIV surveillance in the subregion.
Day 4: Study Visit to Santo Antão
The fourth day featured a study visit to Santo Antão, guided by António Pedro Delgado, coordinator of the master’s programme and a native of the island. The itinerary aligned with the programme’s training objectives and offered participants direct exposure to local health services through visits to the Porto Novo Health Center and Dr. João Morais Hospital in Ribeira Grande.
At Dr. João Morais Hospital, participants were given a detailed overview of its operational issues, while the stop at Porto Novo Health Center was shorter and limited to an external observation and general contextualization. The visit also encouraged informal exchanges that strengthened both institutional and personal ties, and was enriched with historical and cultural insights underscoring the relevance of field epidemiology as a tool attuned to local realities.
Day 5: Closing Gathering and Institutional Fellowship
The fifth day was reserved for a pause from academic work and a moment of informal fellowship. The closing dinner was the highlight of the day, bringing together faculty, mentors, students, and institutional partners. This occasion reinforced the academic and personal bonds formed throughout the programme, providing a space for sharing experiences and strengthening international collaboration. In a setting defined by geographical and institutional diversity, the dinner was a fitting expression of the collaborative spirit that underpins the FETP-CV.
Day 6: Scientific Writing, Institutional Recognition, and Closing Celebration
The sixth and final day carried special symbolic weight. It opened with a practical session on scientific writing, led by Maria do Rosário Oliveira Martins with support from Sofia Rodrigues, focused on transforming students’ thesis into publishable scientific papers. The session highlighted rigorous methodological strategies and the use of artificial intelligence tools such as Gemini and DeepL as aids in preparing and adapting manuscripts. To encourage publication, it was announced that a special issue of the Annals of IHMT would be dedicated exclusively to the students’ work.
The certificate ceremony formally recognized the achievements of the fifteen students from Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe, and was followed by an institutional closing session marked by gratitude, inspiration, and a strategic vision for the future.
Prof. Dr. Paulo Ferrinho, in his closing remarks, stressed that the course represented far more than an academic milestone — it symbolized a shared commitment to global public health, rooted in the One Health perspective. He praised the leadership of the consortium headed by IHMT-NOVA and the University of Cape Verde, highlighted the engagement of Lusophone National Institutes of Public Health, and underlined the programme’s alignment with national epidemiology plans. He also emphasized the degree’s value as a qualified response to outbreaks and health emergencies, telling the graduates: “You are now guardians of this knowledge and agents of transformation.” He called on them to take up their role as public health sentinels with courage and integrity, trusting in their training and in the collective commitment that defines this first generation of field epidemiology graduates. He closed by acknowledging the essential contributions of Mohsin Sidat, António Pedro Delgado, and Iniza Araújo, recognizing the coordinating team’s central role in making the programme a success.
On behalf of the students, Dr. Sandra Brito expressed deep gratitude for the support received, highlighting the transformative impact of the programme and reaffirming the graduates’ commitment to science, society, and public health. She stressed that this programme marked the beginning of a professional journey shaped by responsibility and a desire to contribute actively to strengthening health systems in their countries.
Video messages from Christine Stabell Benn (University of Southern Denmark Professor) and Michael Makanga (EDCTP3) underscored the programme’s impact, congratulating the students and recognizing the master’s role in preparing for emerging diseases and climate-related crises.
As a representative of professor Filomeno Fortes, IHMT-NOVA’s director, Maria do Rosário Oliveira Martins highlighted the innovative nature of the programme and the unprecedented involvement of all Lusophone African countries. She also celebrated the scientific and teaching contributions of faculty and researchers, which had provided students with a profoundly enriching experience. For the first time, she noted, an African researcher — Mohsin Sidat — had led a NOVA University Lisbon project, signaling internationalization as a cornerstone of health cooperation. Addressing the students, she reminded them: “Returning to your countries and sharing this knowledge with your colleagues and with those who, unfortunately, did not have the chance to take part in this programme is your main mission.” She urged them to continue researching and remain curious, adding that “we are always learning, and that is what allows us to grow as professionals and as a scientific community.” Warmy, she concluded saying that “IHMT’s doors are wide open to anyone wishing to deepen their research or join our doctoral programmes.”
The Rector of the University of Cape Verde, professor Arlindo Barreto, described the master’s as a cornerstone for training a new generation of public health leaders in Lusophone West Africa. He emphasized the urgency of turning science into action in a context of shared vulnerabilities, and noted that this programme represents a qualified response to the weaknesses of epidemiological surveillance systems. Speaking directly to the graduates, Arlindo Barreto said: “You carry not only diplomas but also the trust of your countries, your communities, and the institutions that trained you. You are now public health sentinels, prepared to prevent, investigate, respond, and communicate with science and ethics.”
The final address was delivered by Cape Verde’s Minister of Health, Dr. Jorge Figueiredo, who affirmed that the graduates represent a generation technically prepared to confront public health challenges with an integrated vision, recognizing the interconnections between environment, population, and health. He stressed the strategic role these graduates will play in strengthening surveillance and responding to health emergencies in service to their communities and countries.
The Closing Seminar of the FETP-CV was both a culmination of academic achievement and an affirmation of institutional and regional cooperation. Across six days of intense and collaborative work, scientific skills were strengthened, Lusophone networks for public health cooperation were consolidated, and the foundations were laid for a new generation of professionals ready to tackle the epidemiological challenges of their countries. The event closed with a renewed sense of mission, confidence, and collective commitment to science, ethics, and service to communities.
Updated on 26th September 2025