On June 10, 2026, the Provincial Disease Surveillance and Response Unit (PDSRU) in Sindh, Pakistan, received 75 alerts concerning a foodborne illness following a wedding ceremony in Village Yousuf Mallah Sehrish Nagar, Taluka Qasimabad, District Hyderabad.

Several people had developed vomiting and diarrhea after consuming food stored following the wedding. A rapid investigation was needed to determine the scale of the outbreak, identify possible sources, and prevent further illness.

Among the FETP professionals responding to this outbreak was Dr. Fahad Ahmed Memon, an FETP alumnus and Deputy Director at the PDSRU. As part of the provincial Rapid Response Team comprising Sindh FETP members, Dr. Fahad participated in the investigation and response.

After verifying the event, the team began working to determine the magnitude of the outbreak, assess the risk factors associated with gastroenteritis, and develop recommendations to help prevent similar incidents.

Following the Evidence

The team interviewed affected individuals using a standard case investigation form, gathering information about symptoms, when they began, food consumption, and possible exposures. They also went into the affected community to conduct active case finding and reviewed clinical records.

The investigation eventually identified 107 exposed individuals, including 32 through active case finding. Of those exposed, 93 developed illness, while 14 remained well.

Food exposure histories pointed to custard and biryani as suspected food items. Available custard samples were collected and submitted for microbiological testing. The available epidemiological and laboratory evidence supported custard as the likely implicated food vehicle. Biryani remained a suspected food item because no sample was available for laboratory testing.

Alongside the investigation, patients were referred to hospitals for early diagnosis and timely treatment. The team then conducted community awareness sessions on safe food storage, preparation, and handling practices, and continued monitoring and hospital follow-up visits.

Putting FETP Skills into Practice

For Dr. Fahad, the response provided an opportunity to apply competencies developed through his FETP journey in a real public health emergency. As an in-service training program, FETP places approximately 75% of its training in the field, giving trainees first-hand exposure to real public health events and opportunities to apply their learning in practice.

This field-based training equipped Dr. Fahad with skills in active case finding, descriptive epidemiology, food exposure assessment, data collection and analysis, hypothesis generation, specimen collection, laboratory coordination, risk assessment, and evidence-based public health interventions.

These competencies supported the team's ability to identify cases, assess food exposures, collect specimens, coordinate laboratory testing, facilitate timely patient management, and provide preventive recommendations to the community.

The initial outbreak response and field investigation began within 24 hours of notification, while preliminary field investigation and response activities were completed over approximately two to three days.

From Investigation to Public Health Action

Following the intervention, no further cases were reported, and no deaths occurred.

The response took place under challenging conditions. The team worked during very hot weather, while only limited food samples remained available for laboratory testing because family members had discarded others. Investigators also experienced difficulties tracing all exposed individuals when some community members did not respond and community elders were unavailable.

Following the investigation, recommendations included strengthening community education on safe food storage, improving early outbreak reporting and access to ambulance services during emergencies, and continuing surveillance and monitoring for additional incidents.

From FETP Alumnus to Mentor

Dr. Fahad's FETP journey continues beyond responding to outbreaks. Today, alongside his role at PDSRU, he serves as a facilitator and mentor in an EMPHNET-supported three-month Public Health Emergency Preparedness FETP program.

He credits EMPHNET with providing training, mentorship, technical support, and opportunities to apply field epidemiology competencies in public health settings. With EMPHNET's support and sponsorship, he also presented an abstract in Jordan in 2024 and at the SafetyNet Conference in 2025.

"As an FETP alumnus and currently a facilitator and mentor, I now have the opportunity to share these competencies and field experiences with the next generation of field epidemiologists," Dr. Fahad says.

His experience reflects the cycle at the heart of FETPs: building practical epidemiological skills, applying them during real public health events, and passing those competencies on to the next generation of field epidemiologists.

Read another story from Bangladesh FETP: From Learning to Leadership: Dr. Md. Rafiul Hasan's FETP Journey