Supporting surveillance systems strengthening for non-communicable diseases

Non-communicable diseases and mental health conditions, such as diabetes or depression, as well as accidents and injuries, account for a large share of the disease burden and deaths in the 55 member states of the African Union. At the same time, there is a lack of robust figures and data to develop targeted health promotion and prevention programs, or to effectively prevent traffic accidents and other injuries. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, as part of its continental strategy “Africa CDC Non Communicable Diseases, Injuries Prevention and Control and Mental Health Promotion Strategy (2022-26)”, support member states in, among other things, strengthening surveillance and health information systems for this disease spectrum. One intervention under this strategy is to develop a continent-wide guidance for national surveillance activities. The RKI is supporting this process as part of a one-year collaborative project funded by the German Ministry of Health’s Global Health Protection Programme (GHPP).

In preparation for the development of the guidance, experts in noncommunicable diseases, mental health, and injuries from nine African countries met from 17-21 July and 24-28 July 2023. With support from RKI and Africa CDC, they analysed the current strengths and challenges of their NCDI/MH surveillance systems. Zambia hosted the first workshop, which was attended by Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya. In the second workshop, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone met in host country Ghana.

Opening of the peer-learning workshop in Accra with representatives of Ghana’s Ministry of Health and additional participants from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Source: Africa CDC

Africa CDC and RKI had prepared discussion guides for the structured analysis of existing surveillance capacities and for the formulation of objectives, examples of good practice and challenges. These guides were based on existing tools and contextualised for the purpose of the workshop. The guides were applied in a peer-to-peer process, in which participating countries were grouped in pairs and took turns moderating or analysing their own health information and surveillance systems. Both host countries also organised visits to clinics and to national statistical and health information agencies for the participating experts. The workshops each concluded with a stakeholder session attended by leading public health representatives from the host countries. Here, participating countries presented the results of their country analyses.

The participating countries commented positively on the organisation and the method of the workshop. In particular, the peer-to-peer process was found to be very useful for mutual expert exchange and learning from each other.

The Director-General of Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) Prof. Chilengi, here with Africa CDC, RKI and ZNPHI staff, underscored the value and urgency of NCDI/MH surveillance for healthy populations. Source: Africa CDC

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