The EU4Health co-funded CY-ESM (Cyprus Empowered Surveillance Mechanism) project has successfully completed the Training Programme on Epidemiology and Surveillance, delivered under Work Package 6 (WP6) – Capacity Building and Training. During 2026, two training groups were successfully implemented, with Group A taking place on 12–13 May 2026 and Group B on 30 June–1 July 2026 at the Shacolas Educational Centre for Clinical Medicine, Medical School University of Cyprus (UCY).
The training programme forms a core activity of WP6 – Capacity Building and Training, which aims to strengthen the knowledge, competencies and practical skills of surveillance personnel, public health professionals and other key stakeholders, supporting the development of a modern, resilient and integrated infectious disease surveillance system in Cyprus. By investing in workforce development, the programme contributes to strengthening national surveillance capacity and enhancing the country’s preparedness to detect, monitor and respond effectively to current and emerging public health threats.
Across the two training groups, 22 professionals attended the programme, including 15 officers from the Ministry of Health (Unit for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases and the Hygiene Services), 5 officers from the Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (MARDE), and 2 researchers from the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence of the University of Cyprus. The multidisciplinary composition of participants reflects the project’s commitment to fostering cross-sectoral collaboration and implementing the One Health approach, recognizing that effective surveillance depends on close cooperation between the human, animal and environmental health sectors.
Through a combination of lectures, interactive discussions and practical exercises, participants strengthened their understanding of the fundamental principles of applied epidemiology, public health surveillance systems and their evaluation, surveillance data collection and interpretation, outbreak investigation, and the implementation of surveillance activities in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The continued implementation of the CY-ESM training activities demonstrates the project’s commitment to building a strong national community of surveillance professionals capable of responding effectively to today’s public health challenges. Through systematic capacity building, knowledge exchange, and cross-sectoral collaboration, the project contributes to strengthening national preparedness and to the sustainable enhancement of Cyprus’ epidemiological surveillance systems.
