Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfProc7): Abstract 106 | Published: 13 Oct 2026
Benedicta Owusu-Arthur1,&, Rita Asante2, Magdalene Odikro,1, Delia Akosua Bandoh1, Donne Kofi Ameme1, Samuel Sackey1, Ernest Kenu1
1Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, 2Food and Drugs Authority
&Corresponding author: Benedicta Owusu-Arthur; Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, Accra, Ghana Email: bkowusuarthur@gmail.com
Received: 29 Aug 2025, Accepted: 28 Oct 2025, Published: 13 Oct 2026
Domain: Non-Communicable 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: Diabetes Mellitus, Surveillance system, New Juaben South Municipal
©Benedicta Owusu-Arthur 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: Benedicta Owusu-Arthur et al. Evaluation of the diabetes mellitus surveillance system in the New Juaben South Municipality, Eastern Region, Ghana, 2025. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfProc7):106. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO7-00106
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global crisis and incidence continues to rise. In 2024, DM related deaths were over 3.4 million. Ghana established its surveillance system to estimate the magnitude of the disease, monitor trends and risk factors, identify populations at highest risk and monitor prevention and control program activities. Data from DHIMS2 in 2024 underscored a rise in DM in the New Juaben South Municipality. The system was evaluated to assess its usefulness, attributes, and whether it was meeting its objectives.
We adapted the US CDC’s updated guidelines for evaluating public health surveillance systems. Stakeholders of the DM surveillance system were interviewed and observed. Samples of filled morbidity forms were reviewed. Surveillance activities were examined and scored on the system’s attributes as either poor, partial, or good performance. Quantitative data were analysed using Stata version 17 to generate frequencies and proportions, while qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis. Results were presented as tables, charts, and text.
From 2020-2024, the system detected 11,343 cases from 84% (16/19) health facilities. The magnitude of DM and its prevention and control programmes were not being monitored for effective disease prevention. The highest number of cases was recorded in 2020 (40.3%, 4,573/11,343). Introduction of the Lightwave Health Information Management Systems (LHIMS) in 2022 was seen as a positive change with 50% (7/14) of stakeholders finding the system easy to use and operate. Wellness clinics were run Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The system was not achieving all its objectives. It was useful at the facility level. It was representative, stable and sensitive. Simplicity, flexibility, timeliness, and data quality performed partially with poor acceptability. Educating the municipal staff on the need to estimate the burden, risk factors and monitor control activities is warranted to provide estimates in resource allocations and planning of interventions.
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