Evaluation of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system in the River Nile State - Northern Sudan, 2021

Abstract Background One of the four main elements of the worldwide polio eradication strategy is acute flaccid paralysis surveillance (AFP). This system is based on (acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases reported and tested at World Health Organization (WHO) accredited laboratories. To measure and mon...

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Main Authors: Alhaj Saad Mohamed Ahmed Ali, Haghamad Allzain, Omran M. Ahmed, Elsadig Mahgoub, Mazin Babekir Musa Bashir, Babbiker Mohammed Tahir Gorish
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-01-01
Series:BMC Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15019-w
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author Alhaj Saad Mohamed Ahmed Ali
Haghamad Allzain
Omran M. Ahmed
Elsadig Mahgoub
Mazin Babekir Musa Bashir
Babbiker Mohammed Tahir Gorish
author_facet Alhaj Saad Mohamed Ahmed Ali
Haghamad Allzain
Omran M. Ahmed
Elsadig Mahgoub
Mazin Babekir Musa Bashir
Babbiker Mohammed Tahir Gorish
author_sort Alhaj Saad Mohamed Ahmed Ali
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background One of the four main elements of the worldwide polio eradication strategy is acute flaccid paralysis surveillance (AFP). This system is based on (acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases reported and tested at World Health Organization (WHO) accredited laboratories. To measure and monitor performance, indicators were created. The current study aims to evaluate the system components, performance, and efficiency in River Nile State, Northern Sudan, and their compliance with World Health Organization (WHO) requirements for it to be adopted as a good system; its results can be used to certify whether a country is polio-free or not. Material and methods A facility-based retrospective descriptive study was conducted in the River Nile State, Northern Sudan, from Jan 2017 to Dec 2020. This study included all reporting sites/units, workers who reported acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases, and officers at the locality level. A total of 50 health institutions were visited for surveillance, and interviews with 59 health workers who were part of the AFP surveillance system were undertaken. The data were collected from participants using a pre-tested questionnaire designed and constructed by the World Health Organization (WHO) framework, and the data were analyzed using the SPSS version (22). Results The River Nile State’s AFP surveillance system was of high quality in terms of the infrastructure that had been put in place and the effectiveness of the system’s operations, as evidenced by the following statistics: from 2017 to 2020, the reported non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases were at a mean rate of 4.02 per 100,000 children under the age of 15; the majority of AFP reported cases were under 10 years; and males made up 73.3% of reported cases; The completeness of reports and surveillance documents exceeded 80%, and active surveillance was applied in 80% of reporting sites. Conclusion Despite the fact that the surveillance system is capable of detecting cases, Sudan continues to report cases of imported polio from other countries, highlighting the need to strengthen surveillance systems and eradication efforts in these countries.
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spelling doaj.art-36ff47d5fea144b49aec1365250846982023-01-22T12:27:44ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582023-01-012311910.1186/s12889-023-15019-wEvaluation of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system in the River Nile State - Northern Sudan, 2021Alhaj Saad Mohamed Ahmed Ali0Haghamad Allzain1Omran M. Ahmed2Elsadig Mahgoub3Mazin Babekir Musa Bashir4Babbiker Mohammed Tahir Gorish5Department of Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Shendi UniversityDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Shendi UniversityDepartment of Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Shendi UniversityAFP Surveillance System, Federal Ministry of HealthDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shendi UniversityDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Omdurman Islamic UniversityAbstract Background One of the four main elements of the worldwide polio eradication strategy is acute flaccid paralysis surveillance (AFP). This system is based on (acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases reported and tested at World Health Organization (WHO) accredited laboratories. To measure and monitor performance, indicators were created. The current study aims to evaluate the system components, performance, and efficiency in River Nile State, Northern Sudan, and their compliance with World Health Organization (WHO) requirements for it to be adopted as a good system; its results can be used to certify whether a country is polio-free or not. Material and methods A facility-based retrospective descriptive study was conducted in the River Nile State, Northern Sudan, from Jan 2017 to Dec 2020. This study included all reporting sites/units, workers who reported acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases, and officers at the locality level. A total of 50 health institutions were visited for surveillance, and interviews with 59 health workers who were part of the AFP surveillance system were undertaken. The data were collected from participants using a pre-tested questionnaire designed and constructed by the World Health Organization (WHO) framework, and the data were analyzed using the SPSS version (22). Results The River Nile State’s AFP surveillance system was of high quality in terms of the infrastructure that had been put in place and the effectiveness of the system’s operations, as evidenced by the following statistics: from 2017 to 2020, the reported non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases were at a mean rate of 4.02 per 100,000 children under the age of 15; the majority of AFP reported cases were under 10 years; and males made up 73.3% of reported cases; The completeness of reports and surveillance documents exceeded 80%, and active surveillance was applied in 80% of reporting sites. Conclusion Despite the fact that the surveillance system is capable of detecting cases, Sudan continues to report cases of imported polio from other countries, highlighting the need to strengthen surveillance systems and eradication efforts in these countries.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15019-wAcute flaccid paralysis (AFP)Surveillance systemPolioSudan
spellingShingle Alhaj Saad Mohamed Ahmed Ali
Haghamad Allzain
Omran M. Ahmed
Elsadig Mahgoub
Mazin Babekir Musa Bashir
Babbiker Mohammed Tahir Gorish
Evaluation of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system in the River Nile State - Northern Sudan, 2021
BMC Public Health
Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP)
Surveillance system
Polio
Sudan
title Evaluation of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system in the River Nile State - Northern Sudan, 2021
title_full Evaluation of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system in the River Nile State - Northern Sudan, 2021
title_fullStr Evaluation of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system in the River Nile State - Northern Sudan, 2021
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system in the River Nile State - Northern Sudan, 2021
title_short Evaluation of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system in the River Nile State - Northern Sudan, 2021
title_sort evaluation of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system in the river nile state northern sudan 2021
topic Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP)
Surveillance system
Polio
Sudan
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15019-w
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