PA-668 EDCTP/Africa-CDC supported master b-learning field epidemiology program in Cabo Verde: results from field training in strengthening the health information systems of Lusophone West African countries

• Published in: BMJ global health Vol. 8; no. Suppl 10; p. A107
• Main Authors: Ferrinho, Paulo, Fronteira, Ines, Luz Lima Mendonça, Maria da, Crima, Simão, Daio, Yonelma, Sidat, Mohsin, Delgado, António Pedro, Araújo, Isabel Inês
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 17.12.2023; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Abstracts of Poster and e-Poster Presentations; Epidemiology; Information systems; Medical laboratories; Public health; Students; Surveillance; Tuberculosis; Cape Verde Islands; Africa
• ISSN: 2059-7908
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-EDC.262

BackgroundAfrica’s weaknesses in responding to public health emergencies triggered the University of Cabo Verde’s EDCTP/Africa CDC supported b-learning Field Epidemiology Program (2022–2024), after Mozambique´s and Angola’s experiences. The Program targets 15 students from Cabo Verde (CV)(6), Guiné-Bissau (GB)(6) and São Tomé e Príncipe (3). Groups of three students completed their first field training, producing reports focusing on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and/or One Health Surveillance within existing health information systems (HIS). MethodsDuring field training students, supported by site supervisors and tutors, selected a HIS, described it, assessed its quality, and identified opportunities for improvements, namely on the possibility to expand its One Health scope.ResultsIn the three countries, the HIS for human health is structured around the platform District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2) complemented by population-based surveys. Clinical and public health services, disease programs and surveillance systems are supposed to feed their data into the DHIS2, mostly manually, although this does not always happen. AMR is not regularly monitored for lack of laboratory capacity for antibiograms; when done, it is mostly related to tuberculosis. GB is the only country reporting a National HIS Strategic Plan. Private care providers/services are not included in the DHIS2 data/information circuits. Animal/plant health have separate information systems with variable degrees of sophistication. CV is the only country reporting the development of coordination structures with animal and environmental HIS.Besides these experiences, students analyzed disease related data (diarrhoeal diseases, malaria, HIV, tuberculosis) and participated in outbreak investigations (shigella, influenza, rubella).ConclusionKey obstacles to develop One Health Information Systems are siloed structures for human, animal and environmental HIS, but also significant blind spots in human HIS, related to programs and services that do not dialogue with DHIS2, lack of capacity to obtain laboratory-based data and a private sector growing outside relevant data/information circuits.