Epidemic Surveillance

Epidemic Surveillance

• The systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of health data for early warning and rapid detection of disease outbreaks.

• Preventing and controlling infectious diseases.

Philippine Epidemiological Surveillance System (PESS)

• 1972

• Centralized system for disease surveillance and outbreak investigation

• Plays a crucial role in monitoring disease trends, identifying outbreaks, and implementing timely and appropriate public health interventions

1972

Philippine Epidemiological Surveillance System (PESS) is established this year by DOH

PESS Framework

• Four interrelated components: data collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination

• Detecting outbreaks early, characterizing disease trends, and guiding public health interventions

CAID

Data Collection, Analysis, Interpretation & Dissemination

Passive Surveillance

• Spontaneous reporting of cases by healthcare providers and laboratories.

• Mandatory disease reporting and notifiable disease surveillance

• Underreporting, reporting delays, and incomplete data.

Active Surveillance

• Systematic collection of data through regular visits to healthcare facilities, schools, and other institutions.

• Sentinel surveillance and community-based surveillance.

• Provide more complete and timely data

• Resource-intensive.

Outbreak Investigation

• A systematic approach to investigating and controlling the spread of infectious diseases

• Identifying the source of the outbreak

• Determining the extent of the outbreak

• Implementing control measures to prevent further spread

Laboratory Capacity

• Crucial role in disease surveillance and outbreak investigation.

• DOH; established this to strengthen lab capacity; Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM)

Disease surveillance, providing diagnostic and reference laboratory services for infectious diseases

Public Health Interventions

• Vaccination campaigns, outbreak response, contact tracing, and quarantine measures

• This is guided by data collected through PESS framework

Challenges in Epidemic Surveillance

• Lack of resources and funding

• Limited laboratory capacity and diagnostic tools

• Inadequate disease reporting and surveillance systems

• Privacy concerns and ethical considerations

Funding

• This in terms of disease surveillance and outbreak response has been a challenge in the Philippines.

• The DOH has increased funding for disease surveillance in recent years, but more resources are needed to strengthen the system.

Underreporting & Delays in Outbreak Detection

Inadequate disease reporting and surveillance systems can lead to this

Electronic Disease Reporting System

The DOH implementing this to improve disease reporting & surveillance.

Privacy concerns and ethical considerations

This is important in disease surveillance and outbreak response.

The National Privacy Commission

This guides protecting personal information in disease surveillance and response

Mobile Phone Based Reporting & Social Media Monitoring

• Innovative approaches to disease reporting

• Being explored PH

• Has potential to improve

Collaboration & Partnerships

• Essential in disease surveillance and outbreak response.

• DOH works with various partners, including other government agencies, international organizations, and academic institutions, to strengthen disease surveillance and response.

International Health Regulations (IHR)

• Set of regulations

• Developed by the World Health Organization (WHO)

• Prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases across borders.

Strengthening Disease Surveillance & Response Capacity

The Philippines has committed to implementing the IHR which includes this

COVID-19 Pandemic

• Highlighted the importance of epidemic surveillance and response.

• Measures of DOH; testing, contact tracing, and quarantine measures.

COVID-19 Surveillance

• Case-based surveillance

• Sentinel surveillance

• Community-based surveillance

• Used to guide public health interventions & response efforts

Lessons learned from the COVID-19

• It can be applied to strengthening the overall disease surveillance system in the Philippines.

• Need for stronger disease surveillance and response capacity

Priorities for Strengthening Disease Surveillance & Response in the Philippines

• Enhancing laboratory capacity and diagnostic tools

• Improving disease reporting and surveillance systems

• Strengthening partnerships and collaborations

• Investing in research and innovation

Epidemic Surveillance

Crucial for preventing and controlling infectious diseases