Conference Abstract | Volume 9, Abstract 042 (ConfProc7) | Published: 22 Jun 2026
Phyllis Antwiwaa Fleischer1 , Sherry Ama Mawuko Johnson2, Joeseph Kofi Abuh1, Delia Bandoh1, Charles Noora Lwanga1, Donne Ameme1,3, Basil Benduri Kaburi1, Ernest Kenu1
1Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (GFELTP), Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana, 2School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana, 3Veterinary Services Directorate.
&Corresponding author: Phyllis Antwiwaa Fleischer, Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, University of Ghana School of Public Health, Accra, Ghana, Email: phyllisfleischer@gmail.com
Received: 23 Aug 2025, Accepted: 28 Oct 2025, Published: 22 Jun 2026
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Bovine tuberculosis, surveillance system, zoonoses, Ghana
©Phyllis Antwiwaa Fleischer 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: Phyllis Antwiwaa Fleischer et al. Evaluation of bovine tuberculosis surveillance system, Tema Metropolitan, Greater Accra Region, Ghana, 2025. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfProc7): 042. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO7-0042
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a chronic zoonotic disease that poses risks to both public health and livestock production. While largely eradicated in high-income countries, bTB persists in Ghana due to weak surveillance, limited diagnostic capacity, and low stakeholder compliance. This study evaluated the bTB surveillance system in Tema Metropolis (2020–2024) to determine its effectiveness in early detection, public health protection and livestock safeguarding.
A mixed-methods evaluation was conducted using the CDC guidelines for surveillance system evaluation. Quantitative analysis included descriptive statistics of slaughter and suspected bTB cases, assessment of reporting timeliness and evaluation of data completeness and representativeness. Qualitative thematic analysis of stakeholder interviews assessed system attributes such as simplicity, acceptability stability, and challenges affecting performance.
A total of 21,575 cattle were slaughtered during 2020–2024, of which 206 (0.95%) were condemned as suspected bTB based solely on gross lesions, with no laboratory confirmation, contributing to low sensitivity. Missing data on cattle origin, inconsistent use of case definitions, and exclusion of animals slaughtered outside formal facilities resulted in poor representativeness. Reporting from the slaughterhouse to district authorities was generally within 48–72 hours, indicating moderate timeliness and routine inspections continued despite resource constraints, demonstrating moderate stability. However, limited incentives, lack of compensation for condemned carcasses and low feedback from higher levels reduced stakeholder participation, producing low acceptability.
The bTB surveillance system in Tema is insufficient for accurate detection and effective control due to poor sensitivity, weak representativeness and low acceptability. Strengthening the system requires investment in diagnostic capacity, standardized case definitions, improved data management and enhanced feedback and incentive mechanisms. Integration within a One Health framework will improve efficiency, reduce zoonotic risk and strengthen Ghana’s preparedness for zoonotic diseases.
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