Making our mark: Field epidemiologists in action

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OPINION

By Dr Justine Wobusobozi

In February 2024, a funeral in Buyengo Town Council, Jinja District, turned deadly when 61 mourners fell sick after eating contaminated beef stew. Three lives were lost. But thanks to the swift action of Uganda’s field epidemiologists, our disease detectives, lives were saved and the community protected.

Tests revealed the stew had been contaminated by bacteria in a nearby stream, the very water used to prepare the food. On World Field Epidemiology Day, September 7, 2025, we celebrate these heroes who uncover search mysteries, protect our communities, and strengthen global health security.

Within hours, epidemiologists were on the ground, visiting homes and health facilities to track cases. By identifying and halting the use of the contaminated water, they quickly stopped the outbreak and restored calm.

This year, on September 7—World Field Epidemiology Day—the theme “Making Our Mark: Field Epidemiology in Action” celebrates these heroes. Their success in Jinja mirrors their efforts during the January 2025 Ebola response in Kampala, Mbale, Fort Portal, Ntoroko, and Jinja, where they tracked cases and stopped the outbreak in weeks.

Field epidemiologists do more than stop outbreaks. They train health workers, strengthen reporting systems, and even support international responses, such as the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Their work ensures that health threats know no borders.

From villages to cities, these unsung heroes are our unseen guardians. This World Field Epidemiology Day, let’s honour their life-saving work and remember: every action counts in keeping our communities safe.

The writer is a Field Epidemiology Fellow with the Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Ministry of Health, hosted at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI).