Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfProc7): Abstract 102 | Published: 07 Oct 2026
Anyinga John1,&, Rita Agyekumwah Asante2, Delia Bandoh2, John Tengey2, Martha Frimpong2, Samuel Sackey2, Ernest Kenu2
1Bawku West District Health Directorate, Ghana Health service, Zebilla, 2Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program – Frontline Training, SPH, University of Ghana
&Corresponding author: Anyinga John, Bawku West District Health Directorate, Ghana Health Service, Email: anyingaj@yahoo.com
Received: 29 Aug 2025, Accepted: 28 Oct 2025, Published: 07 Oct 2026
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
This is part of the Proceedings of the 8th Ghana FELTP Scientific Conference and FELTP Competency Graduation, Accra, Ghana, 10 – 11 December, 2025
Keywords: Surveillance, Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS), Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT), IDSR
©Anyinga John et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Anyinga John et al. Beyond the Numbers: Assessing disease surveillance data in Bawku West District, February 2025 . Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfProc7):102. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO7-00102
Disease surveillance supports timely public health action guided by the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy in Ghana. However, incomplete and delayed reporting hinders their effectiveness. In Bawku West, recent Measles cases have highlighted the need for reliable data. This study assessed three health centres to identify gaps and improve surveillance data quality for an effective outbreak response.
In February 2025, data quality for disease surveillance was assessed in three health centres in Bawku West District, Gbantongo, Binaba, and Zongoire Health Centers. Using interviews, document reviews, and observations guided by the Data Quality Audit tool, we assessed the reporting, analysis, and action processes of the programme. A SWOT analysis table was used to identify and summarise key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
All three (100%) facilities had standard case definitions, trained surveillance focal persons, and readily available reporting forms with support from the sub-district leadership. However, persistent weaknesses included incomplete documentation, delayed reporting, limited laboratory capacity, and the absence of line lists for case tracking. Opportunities exist in community engagement, partnerships with private facilities, and digital tools like Surveillance, Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS), but threats such as misinformation, traditional beliefs, and poor laboratory infrastructure continue to hinder effectiveness. Overall, while the surveillance system has solid foundations, addressing documentation gaps, staff capacity, and community trust is essential for improving performance.
Effective disease surveillance is vital for the early detection, rapid response, and control of infectious diseases and other public health threats. Strengthening the system requires community engagement, staff capacity building and efficient data management. Leveraging existing strengths, addressing identified gaps, and capitalizing on opportunities across all health system levels will enhance the surveillance performance and improve public health outcomes.
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