Mutare - Every year, countries in the African Region report over 100 infectious disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.  To effectively address these challenges, the implementation of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategies is crucial. IDSR provides a framework for strengthening national public health surveillance and response systems at all levels, from the community to the national level.

To enhance public health capacities in Zimbabwe, the World Health Organization (WHO) supported the IDSR Training of Trainers programme in Mutare from 9-13 September 2024. The first cohort brought together 70 district officers and 10 provincial officers from 14 districts in two provinces of Masvingo and Mashonaland Central.

Epidemiology and Disease Control (EDC) Deputy Director, Dr. Stephen Karimu from the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) acknowledged WHO's role in expanding the pool of central and provincial-level facilitators. He emphasized that this initiative is vital for strengthening the functioning and performance of the national diseases surveillance system and enhancing the capacity for epidemic preparedness and response.

Zimbabwe adopted the third edition of IDSR in 2022 and this was the first cascaded training. The training utilized a classroom-based approach, incorporating presentations, group discussions, and plenary sessions using the IDSR Facilitator and Participant Modules adapted from the WHO Technical Guidelines.

"I attended a similar training in 2018, but given the recent changes in the healthcare landscape, including the COVID-19 pandemic and now mpox, I found this training to be particularly timely. The updated case definitions and inclusion of mpox are essential for effective disease prevention and control,” said Irene Tsalama, Chiredzi District Environmental Health Technician. 

This next phase of the training will target 18 districts from three provinces namely Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Harare. For effective roll-out of the IDSR in Zimbabwe, these ToTs will be followed by cascade IDSR training of health workers at all levels of the health system.

In 2019, member states unanimously adopted the Regional Strategy for Integrated Diseases Surveillance and Response 2020–2030 at the 69th Regional Committee for Africa meeting. This comprehensive, evidence-based approach builds upon the 2016 Strategy to better address the current context and conditions in the African region, including the growing recognition of the threat epidemics pose to global health security. 

The strategy aims to strengthen national capacity for early detection, reporting, and analysis of IDSR priority diseases; enhance national and supranational laboratory capacity for disease confirmation; and bolster capacity for public health emergency preparedness and response at all levels. By emphasizing the interlinkages within IDSR, the strategy seeks to strengthen health systems and contribute to achieving universal health coverage (UHC).

"The training of trainers in IDSR is a critical step in building a strong and resilient public health system in Zimbabwe. The process was long overdue and we are happy this also came at a time when the country is on high alert for mpox,” said Dr Lincoln Charimari, WHO Zimbabwe Emergency, Preparedness and Response Team Lead.