The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) India Country Director Ken Earhart and senior officials from the Government of India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) gathered in New Delhi to celebrate a significant milestone. This event marked the collaboration between the U.S. CDC and India's MoH&FW as they graduated their first cohort from the India Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS). The celebration was part of the inaugural ceremony for the second annual India EIS Conference, which praised program successes, reflected on lessons learned, and introduced a new cohort.
In a recorded video message, CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden congratulated both the first cohort of India EIS graduates and the MoH&FW for their efforts in strengthening epidemiology through this field-based training program. Dr. Frieden stated, "the CDC, through the Global Disease Detection collaboration with the Government of India, is committed to working with NCDC to help build public health capacity in India by strengthening practice and applied epidemiology training so that India may establish and grow its own cadre of elite public health leaders."
Dr. Kapil Goel, one of seven graduates from this first Indian cohort, expressed his appreciation for the program: “This program has changed my life. I recommend it as a perfect way to build a successful public health career.”
The India Epidemic Intelligence Service Program began in New Delhi in 2012 as a result of collaboration between India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The EIS is known for its two-year competency-based field epidemiology training program initiated by the U.S.CDC in 1951. Over 3,000 epidemiologists have completed this program globally, contributing significantly to outbreak responses such as Legionnaire’s Disease, Toxic Shock Syndrome, and HIV/AIDS cases. Notably, India's EIS Programme is branded "EIS" outside of its original U.S.CDC framework—signifying robust cooperation between both nations—and is executed by MoH&FW's National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).