title: IDSR as a platform for implementing IHR in African countries.
abstract: Of the 46 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) African region (AFRO), 43 are implementing Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) guidelines to improve their abilities to detect, confirm, and respond to high-priority communicable and noncommunicable diseases. IDSR provides a framework for strengthening the surveillance, response, and laboratory core capacities required by the revised International Health Regulations [IHR (2005)]. In turn, IHR obligations can serve as a driving force to sustain national commitments to IDSR strategies. The ability to report potential public health events of international concern according to IHR (2005) relies on early warning systems founded in national surveillance capacities. Public health events reported through IDSR to the WHO Emergency Management System in Africa illustrate the growing capacities in African countries to detect, assess, and report infectious and noninfectious threats to public health. The IHR (2005) provide an opportunity to continue strengthening national IDSR systems so they can characterize outbreaks and respond to public health events in the region.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kasolo
authors.forename: Zabulon
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yoti
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bakyaita
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaturuku
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Helen N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Perry
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D016730:Program Development; D014944:World Health Organization
references.citation: Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 1996 Oct 18;71(42):313-8
references.pmid: 8937256
references.citation: Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 Jul;18(7):1121-7
references.pmid: 22710255
references.citation: BMC Med. 2007 Aug 15;5:24
references.pmid: 17697387
references.citation: J Infect Dis. 1999 Feb;179 Suppl 1:S76-86
references.pmid: 9988168
references.citation: Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 1997 Aug 1;72(31):229-35
references.pmid: 9260522