The Lesotho Ministry of Health, with assistance from the World Health Organization, recent-ly conducted a National Train the Trainers workshop on Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (ISDR). The training took place over five days, at Teyateyaneng in Berea, with 22 participants and 5 facilitators involved. The surveillance training was based on the recently released second edition of the IDSR technical guidelines.The two main objectives were:

•  To equip national trainers for IDSR on the skills that would prepare them for undertak-ing step down training on the new IDSR technical guidelines.
•  To provide an opportunity for validating the new IDSR documents: technical guidelines, participants, training modules and facilitators training modules.

Participants included Ministry of Health staff, participants from National Universi-ty Lesotho, the Correctional Services, CHAL, WHO, UNFPA and UNICEF. Seven modules were taught to the participants over the 5 days and then a way forward was developed, highlighting the key activities to take place after the training.

One participant, Senior Assistant Commissioner for Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) Mr Phoka Scout, highlighted that LCS will benefit a lot from this train-ing as they will be equipped with skills and this will enable LCS to operate accordingly in surveillance activities.

The workshop was officially closed by the WHO Representative to Lesotho, Dr. Jacob Mufunda and a representative for the Director General of Health Services, Mrs. Shoeshoe Lephane, who in her remarks noted that much effort and dedication had been applied during the engagement of this training and it is really touching.

Ten teams of members were set up to conduct step down training for district trainers and this phase is anticipated to run concurrently in all the ten districts and Lesotho Flying Doctors Service area before the end August 2013.

Lesotho completes national workshop on Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response