Evaluation of the Malaria surveillance system – Dominican Republic, 2016-2020
- Vector-borne
Background
Malaria surveillance in the Dominican Republic began in 1964, In 2017 starts a process for the elimination of the disease, with a DTI-R strategy (detection, diagnosis, treatment, investigation and response). The surveillance protocol was updated in 2020, including the criteria for elimination. In 2021, a descriptive analysis of the system data indicated the presence of more cases of the disease in the metropolitan region and delayed notification. The objetive was to evaluated the performance of the malaria epidemiological surveillance system from 2016-2020.
Methods
The attributes timeliness (notifications ≤24 hours), data quality (sample collection, type of care, laboratory results, complications and comorbidity) and sensitivity using two data sources (control program and surveillance system) were evaluated, based on the CDC Surveillance System Evaluation Guide. To determine the performance of the attributes of timeliness and quality of the data, the assessment scale of the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (SINAVE) was used: excellent (≥90%), good (89%–80%), acceptable (79% –70%), unacceptable (≤69%) and for sensitivity percentages were calculated.
Results
4,036 cases were notified. The notification opportunity was unacceptable 44%(1,774). In data quality, the sampling variables 99%(4,033/4,036), type of care 93%(4,036) and laboratory results 90%(3,629) present excellent performance, the complications variables 33%(1,333) and comorbidity 61%(2,448) unacceptable. The surveillance system captured 92%(2,405/2,627) of the confirmed cases.
Conclusion
The malaria surveillance system has good data quality and high sensitivity, but it does not provide timely information for action and has undergone changes in surveillance criteria, so it is necessary to strengthen the application of the event surveillance protocol , unify criteria and exclusively notify SINAVE to guarantee a single source of data.
Malaria surveillance in the Dominican Republic began in 1964, In 2017 starts a process for the elimination of the disease, with a DTI-R strategy (detection, diagnosis, treatment, investigation and response). The surveillance protocol was updated in 2020, including the criteria for elimination. In 2021, a descriptive analysis of the system data indicated the presence of more cases of the disease in the metropolitan region and delayed notification. The objetive was to evaluated the performance of the malaria epidemiological surveillance system from 2016-2020.
Methods
The attributes timeliness (notifications ≤24 hours), data quality (sample collection, type of care, laboratory results, complications and comorbidity) and sensitivity using two data sources (control program and surveillance system) were evaluated, based on the CDC Surveillance System Evaluation Guide. To determine the performance of the attributes of timeliness and quality of the data, the assessment scale of the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (SINAVE) was used: excellent (≥90%), good (89%–80%), acceptable (79% –70%), unacceptable (≤69%) and for sensitivity percentages were calculated.
Results
4,036 cases were notified. The notification opportunity was unacceptable 44%(1,774). In data quality, the sampling variables 99%(4,033/4,036), type of care 93%(4,036) and laboratory results 90%(3,629) present excellent performance, the complications variables 33%(1,333) and comorbidity 61%(2,448) unacceptable. The surveillance system captured 92%(2,405/2,627) of the confirmed cases.
Conclusion
The malaria surveillance system has good data quality and high sensitivity, but it does not provide timely information for action and has undergone changes in surveillance criteria, so it is necessary to strengthen the application of the event surveillance protocol , unify criteria and exclusively notify SINAVE to guarantee a single source of data.