The National Field Epidemiology Association of Morocco (ANET) held its first scientific conference titled “Field Epidemiology in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic”. The event was held in partnership with the Moroccan Ministry of Health and Global Health Development, Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (GHD|EMPHNET).

Held virtually, from 28 to 30 January 2021, the conference’s sessions addressed scientific topics related to the pandemic .The  conference’s proceedings were launched with opening addresses given by the President of the National Field Epidemiology Association in Morocco (ANET), Dr. Moad Merbat; Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control Directorate and Founding Member of ANET, Dr. Mohammad Youbi; and Executive Director of GHD|EMPHNET, Dr. Mohannad Al-Nsour; World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Morocco, Dr. Maryam Bigdeli; and Director of the Institute Pasteur of Morocco and former Director Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) in Morocco, Prof. Abderrahmane Maaroufi.

After welcoming attendees and participants. Keynote speakers congratulated the organizers for hosting this significant event. They stressed on the pivotal role that such events play in providing a space for knowledge exchange amongst different health professionals, and more specifically a place where they can share field experience in the context of responding to the pandemic.

The conference was positioned to address the roles that need to be played towards the  advancement of epidemiology in Morocco, while also highlighting the active contributions that should be made to strengthen the monitoring of public health emergencies and responding to them under the leadership of Morocco’s  Ministry of Health, It was stated during the conference’s sessions  that such objectives may be achieved by investing in the skills and experience of Morocco FETP’s  residents and graduates, and by expanding their scientific and field knowledge.

In keeping with such aims, the conference brought together a wide pool of public health professionals and experts from the region and the world, thus seeing participation form from Korea, China, Congo, Mali, and the United States of America. The conference also saw FETP residents and graduates from different regions of Morocco presenting their abstracts. 

Through these presentations, participants covered a wide range of topics related to COVID-19 including  “COVID-19: Epidemiological situation and response globally and nationally”, “FETP- Morocco and COVID-19”, “Pandemic management experiences”, and “Research and COVID-19”, among others.   

Representing GHD|EMPEHNT, Public Health Programs Director, Dr. Magid Al-Gunaid, gave a presentation on Surveillance, Community Transmission and GHD|EMPHNET’s Role in Combating COVID-19. During his presentation, Dr. Al-Gunaid also shed light on how EMR countries have adopted strategies to combat the pandemic and he shared important surveillance considerations.

He also highlighted the role of GHD|EMPHNET in providing technical and logistic support to countries, stating that this support is used to strengthen their health systems and apply evidence-based public health. From another angle, he spoke about the organization’s role in supporting FETPs in the region, confirming that their epidemiological capacities are crucial to the fight against the pandemic.

During the conference’s closing session, the organizers thanked all supporting entities for their contribution to the event’s success. They also stated that this event serves as a prelude for many other similar activities to be conducted in the future, as such activities are instrumental in bringing health professionals together in fruitful discussions, and such fruitful discussions can  in turn, lead to better public health practices.