Sustainable capacity in Liberia for informing surveillance and response through modeling, biostatistics and computational tools

Yale University, New Haven CT

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Abstract

The unprecedentedly devastating 2014?2015 Ebola epidemic in West Africa brought international attention to the challenges faced by resource-constrained nations in curtailing outbreaks. As a relatively cost-effective methodology that informs efficient allocation of limited resources, predictive transmission modeling served as a tool for better understanding the potential epidemic trajectory and the relative contributions of different transmission routes to disease spread. With this information, decision makers on the ground could determine which intervention strategies?including approach, duration of implementation, and coverage level?would be most effective and feasible for curtailing the outbreak. The information gaps filled by modeling highlighted the importance of building capacity so Liberian scientists can do similar work independently and collaboratively to address diverse public health challenges in both epidemic and endemic settings. The proposed collaboration with the University of Liberia (UL), the country's flagship institution for tertiary and professional education, will strengthen the research training infrastructure in Liberia by harnessing heightened interest in public health research and practice in post-Ebola Liberia in order to reduce long-term dependence on outside support. Capacity building that would be accomplished from this training program has the potential to optimize public health strategies to alleviate mortality and suffering associated with epidemics of viral emerging disease in West Africa. Here we propose planning for a three-tiered research training program involving Yale-UL mentored research training, Master's-level public health degree training for advanced professionals with demonstrated interest in public health, as well as career development and sustainability training through workshop series and practice opportunities. The research training program planning process will involve essential assessment of the priorities of key policy makers, community-level change agents, and other stakeholders in Liberia's health sector. Specifically, the planning phase will consist of coordinated and synergistic activities to accomplish the following objectives for the envisioned research training program. 1. Develop a training program focused on scientific areas most pertinent to Liberia's public health priorities 2. Provide faculty and students with high quality research training opportunities in viral epidemic and other disease priorities in Liberia 3. Produce and implement a core public health curriculum for degree-seeking trainees using remote and onsite learning opportunities 4. Contribute to the development of sufficient scientific and administrative capacity in Liberia to support a sustainable and growing research framework While the research-related skills and methods necessary to carry out the scientific focus of the proposed research training program will be aligned with the expertise of Yale program administration and faculty, the planning phase will ensure that the research training opportunities meet the health priorities associated with emerging epidemic viral disease in the University of Liberia and the country.