Conference Abstract | Volume 9, Abstract 044 (ConfProc7) | Published: 30 Jun 2026
Mamudou Jassey1,&, Elijah Paa Edu-Quansah2, Donne Kofi Ameme1, Charles Lwanga Noora1, Ernest Kenu1
1Ghana Field Epidemiology Laboratory Training Program, School of Public Health, Legon, Ghana, 2African Field Epidemiology Network, Kampala
&Corresponding author: Mamudou Jassey, Ghana Field Epidemiology Laboratory Training Program, School of Public Health, Legon, Ghana, Email: mamudoujassey66@gmail.com
Received: 29 Aug 2025, Accepted: 28 Oct 2025, Published: 30 Jun 2026
Domain: Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Depression, Disability, Epidemiology, Surveillance
©Mamudou Jassey 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: Mamudou Jassey et al. Evaluation of depression surveillance system, La Nkwantanang, Greater Accra Region, 2025. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfProc7):044. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO7-0044
Depression is a major global health concern and the leading cause of mental health-related morbidity and mortality, affecting 5% of adults globally. In Ghana, the prevalence is 4.2%, and it’s estimated that about 10-12% of adults experience depression at a given time. We evaluated the depression surveillance system in La Nkwantanang Madina Municipality (LaNMM), Greater Accra Region, to assess the usefulness and attributes such as simplicity, data quality, timeliness, stability, representativeness and acceptability.
We conducted an evaluation of Depression surveillance system using the Africa CDC guideline in LaNMM. We observed surveillance activities and interviewed mental health clinicians and disease control officers using a semi-structured questionnaire. Surveillance data records (2020-2024), reports and case investigation forms were reviewed using an observational checklist. The distributions were rated as poor if the score was <50%, good if it was between 50% and 99%, and excellent if it was 100%. We performed descriptive analysis and calculated frequencies and proportions.
The system detected over 2400 cases, increasing from 19% (427/2490) in 2021 to 37% (843/2490) in 2022, raising national concerns and heightening public awareness. For acceptability, all facilities using standard forms and submitting monthly reports to the DHIMS II on time (1-5 days). The system was supported by adequate human resources, backup systems and consistent financial support from the government. Simplicity was fair; while 75% found forms easy to complete, 25% of interviewees required training. Data quality was good in most forms, but incomplete entries were observed in OPD record books. There was no unified case definition across the surveillance sites.
The depression surveillance system in LaNMM is functional and useful in meeting its objectives, benefiting from strong stakeholder engagement, good timeliness, and reliable infrastructure. However, challenges remain in standardizing case definitions, improving completion of case forms, and addressing data quality gaps. National Mental Health Authority should conduct targeted training, data audits, and adopt standardized WHO depression screening tool to enhance performance and sustainability.
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