Effectiveness of 24-h mobile reporting tool during a malaria outbreak in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa
Abstract Background As surveillance is a key strategy for malaria elimination in South Africa, ensuring strong surveillance systems is a National Department of Health priority. Historically, real time tracking of case trends and reporting within 24 h—a requirement in South Africa’s National surveill...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2019-02-01
|
| Series: | Malaria Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-019-2683-4 |
| _version_ | 1819124008637956096 |
|---|---|
| author | Craig Davies Rebecca Graffy Mbavhalelo Shandukani Ednah Baloyi Laura Gast Gerdalize Kok Frans Mbokazi Alpheus Zita Mandla Zwane Ray Magagula Aaron Mabuza Wayne Ramkrishna Natashia Morris Jacqueline Porteous George Shirreff Lucille Blumberg Eunice Misiani Devanand Moonasar |
| author_facet | Craig Davies Rebecca Graffy Mbavhalelo Shandukani Ednah Baloyi Laura Gast Gerdalize Kok Frans Mbokazi Alpheus Zita Mandla Zwane Ray Magagula Aaron Mabuza Wayne Ramkrishna Natashia Morris Jacqueline Porteous George Shirreff Lucille Blumberg Eunice Misiani Devanand Moonasar |
| author_sort | Craig Davies |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background As surveillance is a key strategy for malaria elimination in South Africa, ensuring strong surveillance systems is a National Department of Health priority. Historically, real time tracking of case trends and reporting within 24 h—a requirement in South Africa’s National surveillance guidelines—has not been possible. To enhance surveillance and response efficiency, a mobile surveillance tool, MalariaConnect, was developed using Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) technology. It was rolled out in health facilities in malaria endemic areas of South Africa to provide 24-h reporting of malaria cases. Methods To evaluate the efficiency of the mobile tool to detect an outbreak data were extracted from the paper based and MalariaConnect reporting systems in Bushbuckridge from 1 January to 18 June 2017. These data were subject to time series analyses to determine if MalariaConnect provided sufficient data reliably to detect increasing case trends reported through the paper system. The Chi squared test was used to determine goodness of fit between the following indicator data generated using MalariaConnect and paper reporting systems: timeliness, completeness, and precision. Results MalariaConnect adequately tracked case trends reported through the paper system. Timeliness of reporting increased significantly using MalariaConnect with 0.63 days to notification compared to 5.65 days using the paper-system (p < 0.05). The completeness of reporting was significantly higher for the paper system (100% completion; p < 0.05), compared to confirmed MalariaConnect cases (61%). There was a moderate association between data precision and the reporting system (p < 0.05). MalariaConnect provided an effective way of reliably and accurately identifying the onset of the malaria outbreak in Bushbuckridge. Conclusion Timeliness significantly improved using MalariaConnect and in a malaria elimination setting, can be used to markedly improve case investigation and response activities within the recommended 72-h period. Although data completeness and precision were lower compared to paper reporting, MalariaConnect data can be used to trigger outbreak responses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T07:17:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0e8fa14db9ad46cd8eb5a32bd01455af |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1475-2875 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T07:17:25Z |
| publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Malaria Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-0e8fa14db9ad46cd8eb5a32bd01455af2022-12-21T18:34:22ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752019-02-011811910.1186/s12936-019-2683-4Effectiveness of 24-h mobile reporting tool during a malaria outbreak in Mpumalanga Province, South AfricaCraig Davies0Rebecca Graffy1Mbavhalelo Shandukani2Ednah Baloyi3Laura Gast4Gerdalize Kok5Frans Mbokazi6Alpheus Zita7Mandla Zwane8Ray Magagula9Aaron Mabuza10Wayne Ramkrishna11Natashia Morris12Jacqueline Porteous13George Shirreff14Lucille Blumberg15Eunice Misiani16Devanand Moonasar17Malaria Programme, Clinton Health Access InitiativeMalaria Programme, Clinton Health Access InitiativeDepartment of Health, Malaria and Other Vector Borne DiseasesDepartment of Health, Malaria and Other Vector Borne DiseasesMalaria Programme, Clinton Health Access InitiativeMpumalanga Department of Health, Malaria Control ProgrammeMpumalanga Department of Health, Malaria Control ProgrammeMpumalanga Department of Health, Malaria Control ProgrammeCentre for Disease Control, Mpumalanga Department of Health and Social DevelopmentMpumalanga Department of Health, Malaria Control ProgrammeMalaria Programme, Clinton Health Access InitiativeDepartment of Health, Malaria and Other Vector Borne DiseasesMedical Research CouncilMalaria Programme, Clinton Health Access InitiativeMalaria Programme, Clinton Health Access InitiativeDivision of Public Health Surveillance and Response, National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS)Department of Health, Malaria and Other Vector Borne DiseasesDepartment of Health, Malaria and Other Vector Borne DiseasesAbstract Background As surveillance is a key strategy for malaria elimination in South Africa, ensuring strong surveillance systems is a National Department of Health priority. Historically, real time tracking of case trends and reporting within 24 h—a requirement in South Africa’s National surveillance guidelines—has not been possible. To enhance surveillance and response efficiency, a mobile surveillance tool, MalariaConnect, was developed using Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) technology. It was rolled out in health facilities in malaria endemic areas of South Africa to provide 24-h reporting of malaria cases. Methods To evaluate the efficiency of the mobile tool to detect an outbreak data were extracted from the paper based and MalariaConnect reporting systems in Bushbuckridge from 1 January to 18 June 2017. These data were subject to time series analyses to determine if MalariaConnect provided sufficient data reliably to detect increasing case trends reported through the paper system. The Chi squared test was used to determine goodness of fit between the following indicator data generated using MalariaConnect and paper reporting systems: timeliness, completeness, and precision. Results MalariaConnect adequately tracked case trends reported through the paper system. Timeliness of reporting increased significantly using MalariaConnect with 0.63 days to notification compared to 5.65 days using the paper-system (p < 0.05). The completeness of reporting was significantly higher for the paper system (100% completion; p < 0.05), compared to confirmed MalariaConnect cases (61%). There was a moderate association between data precision and the reporting system (p < 0.05). MalariaConnect provided an effective way of reliably and accurately identifying the onset of the malaria outbreak in Bushbuckridge. Conclusion Timeliness significantly improved using MalariaConnect and in a malaria elimination setting, can be used to markedly improve case investigation and response activities within the recommended 72-h period. Although data completeness and precision were lower compared to paper reporting, MalariaConnect data can be used to trigger outbreak responses.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-019-2683-4MalariaSouth AfricaSurveillanceOutbreakMobile reportingMalariaConnect |
| spellingShingle | Craig Davies Rebecca Graffy Mbavhalelo Shandukani Ednah Baloyi Laura Gast Gerdalize Kok Frans Mbokazi Alpheus Zita Mandla Zwane Ray Magagula Aaron Mabuza Wayne Ramkrishna Natashia Morris Jacqueline Porteous George Shirreff Lucille Blumberg Eunice Misiani Devanand Moonasar Effectiveness of 24-h mobile reporting tool during a malaria outbreak in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa Malaria Journal Malaria South Africa Surveillance Outbreak Mobile reporting MalariaConnect |
| title | Effectiveness of 24-h mobile reporting tool during a malaria outbreak in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa |
| title_full | Effectiveness of 24-h mobile reporting tool during a malaria outbreak in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of 24-h mobile reporting tool during a malaria outbreak in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of 24-h mobile reporting tool during a malaria outbreak in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa |
| title_short | Effectiveness of 24-h mobile reporting tool during a malaria outbreak in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa |
| title_sort | effectiveness of 24 h mobile reporting tool during a malaria outbreak in mpumalanga province south africa |
| topic | Malaria South Africa Surveillance Outbreak Mobile reporting MalariaConnect |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-019-2683-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT craigdavies effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT rebeccagraffy effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT mbavhaleloshandukani effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT ednahbaloyi effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT lauragast effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT gerdalizekok effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT fransmbokazi effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT alpheuszita effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT mandlazwane effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT raymagagula effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT aaronmabuza effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT wayneramkrishna effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT natashiamorris effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT jacquelineporteous effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT georgeshirreff effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT lucilleblumberg effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT eunicemisiani effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica AT devanandmoonasar effectivenessof24hmobilereportingtoolduringamalariaoutbreakinmpumalangaprovincesouthafrica |