Monitoring and Evaluating Performance Indicators for Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR)

IDSR encourages the routine monitoring and evaluation of public health surveillance activities. Recommended indicators for monitoring and evaluating performance of a country’s disease surveillance and response system include the collection and analysis of data for calculating achievements in:

• Timeliness of reporting summary and case-based data to the next level of the health system
• Current trend analysis for selected priority diseases
• Reported outbreaks that are investigated
• Reported outbreaks with laboratory confirmation
• Appropriateness and relevance of response to confirmed outbreak

The IDSR guidelines also recommend routine monitoring and regular evaluation of laboratory performance indicators to assess:

• Timeliness of reporting for laboratory data
• Adequacy of  specimens transported to a referral laboratory
• Supervision and quality control measures at peripheral laboratories
• Correct culture and antimicrobial results available for bacterial specimens
• Laboratorians’ participation in outbreak investigation
• National participation in the External Quality Assurance Program (EQAP)