Conference Abstract | Volume 9, Abstract 055 (ConfProc7) | Published: 1 Jul 2026
Francis Bayor1,&, Pascal Kingsly Mwin2, Musu Mariama Abu Ansumana1, Joshua Asare3, Mansulu Zacharia Mohammed3, Adinkra Richard3, Basil Kaburi1, Charles Lwanga Noora1, Ernest Kenu1
1Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, University of Ghana, School of Public Health, Accra, Ghana, 2World Health Organisation, Ghana Country Office, Accra, Ghana, 3District/Regional Health Directorate, Ghana Health Services, Sunyani Municipality, Bono Region, Ghana
&Corresponding author: Francis Bayor; Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, University of Ghana, School of Public Health, Accra, Ghana, Email: fabayor@gmail.com
Received: 27 Aug 2025, Accepted: 28 Oct 2025, Published: 01 Jun 2026
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Poliomyelitis, Acute Flaccid Paralysis, eradication, transmission
©Francis Bayor 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: Francis Bayor et al. Acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system evaluation in Sunyani Municipal Health Directorate, Bono Region, Ghana, 2024. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfProc7):055. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO7-0055
Poliomyelitis, a viral disease that causes acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), remains a global public health concern. AFP surveillance is important in detecting and preventing poliovirus transmission and tracking eradication progress. This evaluation assessed the performance, usefulness, and attributes of AFP surveillance system in Sunyani Municipality, Ghana.
A descriptive cross-sectional evaluation was conducted using CDC guidelines for public health surveillance system assessment. Attributes assessed included simplicity, flexibility, acceptability, stability, timeliness, data quality, sensitivity, and representativeness. Thirty key stakeholders were interviewed using a structured guide, complemented by a review of AFP surveillance data (2019–2023) from the District Health Information Management System (DHIMS), the Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS), paper-based case-based forms, and by direct observation. Data were analyzed in Microsoft Excel using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis guided by CDC evaluation attributes. The findings were presented in text, tables, and graphs.
The system met key performance indicators, achieving non-polio AFP rates of 2.53 and 2.48 per 100,000 children under 15 in 2022 and 2023, respectively. However, reporting completeness 79.5% (124/156), data accuracy 41.9% (52/124), and timeliness 2.4% (3/124) were suboptimal. Discrepancies were observed between DHIMS weekly and monthly reports. Only 47% of health workers demonstrated good knowledge of AFP surveillance, and active case search was constrained by the absence of community-based surveillance volunteers (CBSVs).
The AFP surveillance system in Sunyani is effective and supports Ghana’s polio-free status. However, the incomplete reporting, limited health worker knowledge, and weak active case search remain challenges. Regular staff training, re-engagement of CBSVs, and wider use of the SORMAS are needed to enhance timeliness and feedback. The evaluation findings may be limited by recall bias, incomplete records, secondary data reliance, and its focus on a single municipality which may affect generalizability of the findings.
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