Assessing Event-based Surveillance Capacity in Siaya County, Kenya for Detection of Respiratory Events Open Access

Abstract

 

Background:  Emerging diseases with potential to cause pandemics such as MERS and influenza virus H7N9 are a constant threat to the world. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with the Kenyan Ministry of Health (MoH) to help strengthen their global health security for respiratory threats.  Detecting and Responding to Respiratory Events (DaRRE), a CDC initiative, is focused on strengthening and improving respiratory surveillance in Kenya by expanding the number of hospitals with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance, increasing laboratory and outbreak capacity, and implementing event-based surveillance (EBS) for rapid detection and response to respiratory events.  This special studies project aims to learn Kenya’s current system of respiratory event reporting and develop training materials for the implementation of EBS.

 

Project Objective: To assess the current situation of respiratory event reporting in communities in Kenya and to increase knowledge of CHVs on respiratory events of interest

 

Methods: Questionnaires were given to 44 community health volunteers (CHVs) in Siaya County, Kenya.  Semi-structured interviews were held with the community health extensions worker (CHEW) at Mulaha Dispensary and the county surveillance officer of Siaya County.  Information obtained from the questionnaires and interviews were used to help determine what training materials are necessary for implementing EBS at the community level.

 

Deliverables:  Deliverables include a comprehensive training manual for community health volunteers (CHVs) to learn about EBS and how it is conducted in the community.  A list of important events of public health importance is detailed in the manual for CHVs to detect and report according to proper EBS guidelines.

 

Table of Contents

 

Table of Contents

 

Chapter One: Introduction……………………………………………………………………...1                                     

 

   Background……………………………………………………………………………………...1

 

   Health Service Structure in Kenya……………………………………………………………....1

 

   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Kenya………………………………………….2

 

   Problem Statement………………………………………………………………………………3

 

   Purpose Statement……………………………………………………………………………….4

 

  Objectives…………………………………………………….……………………….…………4

 

   Significance Statement…………………………………………………………………………..4

 

 

 

Chapter Two: Literature Review……………………………………………………………….5

 

   Background……………………………………………………………………………………...5

 

   Sierra Leone……………………………………………………………………………………..8

 

   Vietnam………………………………………………………………………………………...10

 

   Ethiopia………………………………………………………………………………………...10

 

   Cambodia………………………………………………………………………………………11

 

   Papa New Guinea………………………………………………………………………………12

 

   Haiti…………………………………………………………………………………………….13

 

   Mass Gatherings………………………………………………………………………………..14

 

   Conclusions…………………………………………………………………………………….15

 

 

 

Chapter Three: Methods……………………………………………………………………….16

 

   Community Health Volunteer Questionnaire………………………………………………….16

 

   Semi-structured Interviews with CHEW and County Surveillance Officer…………………...17

 

   Data Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………..17

 

   Limitations……………………………………………………………………………………..17

 

 

 

Chapter 4: Results………………………………………………………………………………19

 

   Community Health Volunteer Questionnaire…………….………...………………………….19

 

   Community Health Extension Worker…………………………………………………………21

 

   County Surveillance Officer…………………………………………………………………...21

 

 

 

Chapter 5: Training Manual......................................................................................................23

 

Chapter 6: Conclusion.................................................................................................................35

 

References.....................................................................................................................................37

 

Appendices....................................................................................................................................39

 

   Appendix I..................................................................................................................................39

 

   Appendix II.................................................................................................................................46

 

   Appendix III................................................................................................................................51

 

 

 

About this Master's Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Hubert Department of Global Health
Degree	M.P.H.
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Health Sciences, Public Health
Keyword	community-based surveillance event-based surveillance respiratory diseases
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Breiman, Robert , Emory University
Partnering Agencies	CDC

Last modified

Primary PDF

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions
	Assessing Event-based Surveillance Capacity in Siaya County, Kenya for Detection of Respiratory Events ()	2018-04-25 12:07:06 -0400	Press to Select an action Download

Supplemental Files

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions