Attachments
Training of Trainers For Integrated Training of Surveillance Officers In Nigeria
The World Health Organization’s Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy was adopted in Nigeria in 2001, for public health surveillance in the country. It is a strategy that promotes the rational use of resources in streamlining and integrating disease surveillance activities. This is expected to ensure early detection and prompt response to outbreaks of diseases and public health events.
In 2018, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) adopted the Surveillance Outbreak Response and Analysis System (SORMAS), an electronic platform for managing surveillance and outbreak data. The use of SORMAS app in IDSR strategy as ICT has enhanced real time surveillance and reporting of outbreaks/events at the Local, State and Federal levels. This integration of SORMAS into IDSR strategy has also improved the surveillance system in outbreak response management such as case investigation, contact follow up, rumour management, laboratory sample management and case management.
NCDC has recognized the need to have a single training package that addresses all the training needs of surveillance officers that will help to avoid parallel training programs. This harmonised training package is known as Integrated Training of Surveillance officers in Nigeria (ITSON) which is derived from the previous training programs – IDSR modules, Frontline FETP, and WARDS also incorporated Emergency Operation Centres (EOC), Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), One Health and Risk communication training.
In order to kick start and roll out the ITSON project that will train all surveillance officers in all the States (36 + FCT) and 774 LGAs of the country over the next one and a half year, the NCDC organized a six days training of trainers in Abuja from 28th January to 2nd February, 2019. This will orient the facilitators at the national level with the vision, goals, objectives, methods and the structure of the training programme.
We are working towards strengthening disease surveillance in Nigeria, and recognise that a well-trained workforce is an essential building block for health security.
Summary of reports
In the reporting week ending January 20, 2019:
- There were 110 new cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) reported. None was confirmed as polio. The last reported case of polio in Nigeria was in August 2016. Active case search for AFP is being intensified with the goal to eliminate polio in Nigeria.
- There were 29 suspected cases of cholera reported from three LGAs in two States (Bayelsa – 15, Edo – 9 & Kano – 9). There was one laboratory confirmed case and one death.
- There were 206 suspected cases of Lassa fever reported from 21 LGAs in ten States (Adamawa – 2, Bauchi –10, Edo – 104, Ebonyi – 21, FCT – 2, Ondo – 44, Nasarawa – 1, Plateau – 15, Rivers - 1 & Taraba - 6). Seventy four were laboratory confirmed and 12 deaths were recorded.
- There were 22 suspected cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) reported from 14 LGAs in five States (Cross River – 2, Katsina – 10, Kwara – 2, Taraba - 2 & Zamfara – 6). Of these, none was laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded.
- There were 503 suspected cases of measles reported from 32 States. None was laboratory confirmed and two deaths were recorded.
In the reporting week, all States sent in their reports except Benue State. Timeliness of reporting remains 91.0% in both the previous and current weeks (2 & 3) while completeness also remains 99.0% at the same period. It is very important for all States to ensure timely and complete reporting at all times, especially during an outbreak.