Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 79 | Published:  10 Oct 2026

Evaluation of schistosomiasis surveillance system in Krachi West Municipality, Oti Region, Ghana, 2020 - 2024

Richard Nunyuieto1,2,&, George Akowuah1, Victor Ahiaba2, Thomas Kwabla Vigbedor3, Magdalene Akos Odikro1, Joseph Asamoah Frimpong1, Samuel Oko Sackey1

1Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, Accra, Ghana, 2Krachi West Municipal Health Directorate, Ghana Health Directorate, Kete Krachi, Ghana, 3Oti Regional Health directorate, Ghana Health Service, Worawora, Ghana

&Corresponding author: Richard Nunyuieto, Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme,   Email: rich32nyuieto@gmail.com, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7398-0666

Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: 10 Oct 2026

Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology

This is part of the Proceedings of the 7th African Epidemiological Association and 1st Ghana Epidemiological Society Conference, 13 – 15 October, 2026

Keywords: Surveillance system, schistosomiasis, evaluation, attributes

©Richard Nunyuieto 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: Richard Nunyuieto et al., Evaluation of schistosomiasis surveillance system in Krachi West Municipality, Oti Region, Ghana, 2020 – 2024 . Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):79. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0079

Introduction

Schistosomiasis is a public health concern in Ghana with 10.56% prevalence in riverine districts. This evaluation assessed whether the schistosomiasis surveillance system is achieving its objectives, examined the system’s attributes and usefulness in Krachi West municipality.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Krachi West Municipality using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Data was collected through interviews, record review and observations using semi-structured questionnaires in May 2025. The updated Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for public health surveillance system evaluation were used to assess simplicity, flexibility, data quality, timeliness, sensitivity, predictive value positive (PVP), acceptability, stability, representativeness and usefulness. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel to summarize quantitative data into frequencies and proportions and presented in charts and tables while content analysis was used for qualitative data.

Results

From 2020 to 2024, 128 cases were detected without laboratory confirmation. Case definition, simple registers and forms were used in the system. The reporting forms are adaptable, though the guidelines did not change. Data completeness was 27% (82/300). Only one facility reports data but with inconsistencies. Symptoms are reported to health facilities usually after 1 week of onset. Sensitivity was 3.3% (128/3904) and predictive value Positive (PVP) is zero.  There was no reporting feedback, or trend analysis and surveillance data were not used for public health action.

Conclusion

The surveillance system in Krachi West did not meet its objectives. Although the system showed strength in simplicity and flexibility, it was significantly hindered by poor data quality, low acceptability, low sensitivity. The lack of data utilization has limited the system’s ability to inform decision-making and control interventions. Limitations such as poor case detection, poor data quality and lack of response need improvement by strengthening diagnostic capacity, reporting and stakeholders’ engagement for system’s effectiveness.

 
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