Gaborone, Botswana - 27 November 2020: The Ministry of Health and Wellness with technical support of World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office conducted an Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response training to strengthen public health surveillance and response systems to COVID-19. The training was supported by the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid. The funding is part of the new humanitarian package for countries in the Southern Africa region to help deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather conditions (persistent drought and other crises). For Botswana, the funding was specific to support strengthening preparedness and response to COVID-19 pandemic.

Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) is a strategy adopted by WHO AFRO Member States for implementing comprehensive public health surveillance and response systems for priority diseases, conditions and events at all levels of health systems in African countries. The main objectives of the training were to strengthen national capacity for early detection, complete recording, timely reporting, regular analysis and prompt feedback of IDSR priority diseases, events and conditions at all levels. As part of the objectives the training also aimed at strengthening capacity for public health emergency preparedness and response at all levels and strengthen the supervision, monitoring and evaluation system for IDSR.

The training consisted of a five-day, 10-module course targeting District Health Management Teams (DHMT) in the Southern part of Botswana including Gaborone. Facilitators from the Ministry of Health and Wellness and WHO introduced participants to the purpose, objectives and layout of each course module followed by a pre & post-test to all participants to ensure clear understanding of IDSR. As part of the training participants were divided into small groups to work on assignments based on the modules and to present their discussions through plenary discussions.

In an interview with one of the participants, Lesego Phuthego from Moshupa DHMT indicated that the training was very timely as it came at a time when the whole world is facing an outbreak. This training will enable us to apply what we have learnt especially regarding outbreak investigation, surveillance and other public health events. She further emphasized that trainings like these are very important to strengthen DHMTs and equip them with more information and knowledge on issues of preparedness and response to outbreaks.