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Volume 27, Number 3—March 2021
Synopsis

Evaluation of National Event-Based Surveillance, Nigeria, 2016–2018

Kazim BeebeejaunComments to Author , James Elston, Isabel Oliver, Adachioma Ihueze, Chika Ukenedo, Olusola Aruna, Favour Makava, Ejezie Obiefuna, Womi Eteng, Mercy Niyang, Ebere Okereke, Bola Gobir, Elsie Ilori, Olubunmi Ojo, and Chikwe Ihekweazu
Author affiliations: Public Health England, London, UK (K. Beebeejaun, J. Elson, I. Oliver, O. Aruna, E. Okereke); University of Maryland Baltimore, Abuja, Nigeria (A. Ihueze, C. Ukenedo, F. Makava, M. Niyang, B. Gobir); Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Abuja (E. Obiefuna, W. Eteng, E. Ilori, O. Ojo, C. Ihekweazu)

Main Article

Table 4

Assessments of national event-based surveillance system in Nigeria derived from excerpts of staff interviews*

Assessment Staff quote (staff role)
EBS system enabled early detection of outbreaks and largely met its objectives for providing information to enable prompt identification of appropriate signals for verification and public health action
 A lot of outbreaks across Nigeria are underreported. For example, if you are reported of five cases of a certain disease happening in one area, it is likely that there are actually a lot more cases in the community. The other issue is that some health facilities do not report routine data. EBS helps fill that gap. (Data manager)
Underdetection of events in areas where English was not the main spoken language
 Language translation in Nigeria is an issue. There are three main languages that are competing with English. There is a large population that know how to speak and write in Hausa but cannot read or understand English. (Director)
Suboptimal recording limited effective oversight We need something better to record what happens. When something is escalated… there needs to be an electronic record of it where I can view it and see what it is concerning and whether it has been followed up and what the action taken was. (Deputy director)

*EBS, event-based surveillance.

Main Article

Page created: December 29, 2020
Page updated: February 21, 2021
Page reviewed: February 21, 2021
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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