Collaborative Surveillance
Using real-time information to make decisions and protect lives
Since the rollout of the International Health Regulations measurement tools, countries have made steady progress in improving surveillance capacities and detecting outbreaks in a timelier manner. However, many of these gains have been made through systems operated by different sectors of government. To effectively understand the risks of public health events and determine the best preventive or responsive actions, diverse decision-makers—including communities, public health officials, and policymakers—need multi-sectoral, integrated data from different sources, including climate, health facilities, laboratories, non-health partners, and communities themselves.
Above: Rabi Usman, Senior Technical Advisor at Resolve to Save Lives, participates in an inception prototyping workshop in Nigeria. Image credit: Resolve to Save Lives.
Starting from the finish line
Collaborative surveillance starts with the end in mind, starting from the lifesaving decisions that governments make before and during an outbreak, then optimizing the data, systems, processes, and people needed to make those decisions. To accomplish this aim, we apply principles of design thinking, systems thinking, and change management.
We take a multi-pronged approach to Collaborative Surveillance implementation, consistent with WHO’s strategy for Strengthening Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Resilience, by addressing the systems, governance, and financing required to provide the right information, to the right audience, at the right time.
Systems
Allows data to be collected, accessed, and used for public health decision making. Our approach helps countries identify priority information products for different audiences, analyze and communicate insights derived from existing data through these products, and strengthen data collection and management systems to efficiently support the process.
Governance
Ensures that actors and institutions work together by fostering collaboration, leveraging political will, and efficiently using resources to support data-driven public health decision making. Our approach supports countries to define a clear vision and identify the appropriate people, processes, and tools to efficiently implement governance structures.
Financing
Catalyzes system development and sustains existing systems. Our approach supports countries to effectively mobilize for new resources, accelerate disbursement to demonstrate impact, and identify pathways for sustaining gains.
Through our work, countries can take measures to prevent outbreaks from ever occurring, are better prepared for the next outbreak, and can detect and respond better and faster to new public health threats, including those that have been exacerbated by climate change.
Showing Value Through Impactful Data Use
Data can be used before outbreaks begin to the time they end. How can we use data more powerfully to save lives?
Plan for Prevention and Preparedness
Using data to inform institutional budgets, strategies, and “always-on“ preparedness
Improving the ability to test for yellow fever: a low-cost, country-led intervention in Nigeria
Monitor and Forecast Risk
Anticipating when and where outbreaks are likely to occur to reduce the risk and mitigate the impact before the first case
Enhanced situational awareness: taking action to stop outbreaks before they begin in Ethiopia
Uganda Spots Anthrax Outbreak Early Via Enhanced Situational Awareness
Detect, Assess, and Respond
Identifying outbreaks quickly and taking actions to prevent them from becoming epidemics
Monitor and Adjust Responses
Triangulating data across sources to improve responses to epidemics, protect populations and save lives
The Partnership for Evidence-Based Response to COVID-19 (PERC)
Defining collaborative surveillance to improve decision making for public health emergencies and beyond
Identifying and Interrupting Superspreading Events—Implications for Control of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2
Why Even Well-Prepared Countries Failed the Pandemic Test | Foreign Affairs