Disease Surveillance System of Bangladesh: Combating Public Health Emergencies

Objectivea) To observe trends and patterns of diseases of public health importance and responseb) To predict, prevent, detect, control and minimize the harm caused by public health emergenciesc) To develop evidence for managing any future outbreaks, epidemic and pandemicIntroductionDisease surveillance is an integral part of public health system. It is an epidemiological method for monitoring disease patterns and trends. International Health Regulation (IHR) 2005 obligates WHO member countries to develop an effective disease surveillance system. Bangladesh is a signatory to IHR 2005. Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR ) is the mandated institute for surveillance and outbreak response on behalf of Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The IEDCR has a good surveillance system including event-based surveillance system, which proved effective to manage public health emergencies. Routine disease profile is collected by Management Information System (MIS) of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI) of DGHS collect surveillance data on EPI-related diseases. Disease Control unit, DGHS is responsible for implementing operational plan of disease surveillance system of IEDCR. The surveillance system maintain strategic collaboration with icddrr,b.MethodsThe IEDCR is conducting disease surveillance in several methods and following several systems. Surveillance data of priority communicable disease are collected by web based integrated disease surveillance. It is based on weekly data received from upazilla (sub-district) health complex on communicable disease marked as priority. They are: acute watery diarrhea, bloody dysentery, malaria, kala-azar, tuberculosis, leprosy, encephalitis, any unknown disease. Government health facilities at upazilla (sub-district) send the data using DHIS2. During outbreak, daily, even hourly reporting is sought from the concerned unit.Moreover, IEDCR conducts disease specific specialized surveillance systems. Data from community as well as from health facilities are collected for Influenza, nipah, dengue, HIV, cholera, cutaneous anthrax, non-communicable diseases, food borne illness. Data from health facilities are collected for antimicrobial resistance, rotavirus and intussusception, reproductive health, child health and mortality, post MDA-surveillance for lymphatic filariasis transmission, molecular xenomonitoring for detection of residual Wucheria ban