Attachments
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INTEGRATED DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONSE IN PREPARATION FOR CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS SEASON
The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy was adopted in Nigeria in 2001 as the strategy for public health surveillance in the country. However, experience from recent outbreaks shows that the surveillance capacity for early detection of outbreaks and other public health events needs to be further strengthened.
As part of preparedness for the Cerebrospinal Meningitis season, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, organized a training workshop in Kaduna State from 11th to 15th December 2017. The training which had State Epidemiologists from States in the Meningitis belt had the goal to strengthen the capacity of surveillance and other public health officers to ensure early detection and response during outbreaks.
The training covered the IDSR modules, aimed at improving the ability of all levels of the health system to detect and respond to diseases and hazards that cause high levels of death, illness, and disability. It was emphasised that this begins at Local Government level by providing timely and reliable data for taking action to the next level, use of data for action to save lives and effective integration with all reporting channels.
It is very important that all States especially those in the meningitis belt are encouraged to ensure early detection and reporting/complete submission of data to the national EOC, as the 2017/2018 meningitis season begins to ensure early response.