ZNSP

Introduction

Zambia has made significant progress in strengthening the national surveillance systems and response to public health conditions, such as, malnutrition, maternal and neonatal deaths. In 1998, the Country adopted the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy, prioritizing the monitoring and control of communicable diseases. This initiative focused on addressing critical health concerns such as Tuberculosis (TB), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Malaria, Cholera, Anthrax, Typhoid, Polio, and Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Since the IDRS implementation, disease surveillance needs in Zambia have grown and we now have the capacity to leverage big data across many programs to keep government, stakeholders, and the public informed about important health concerns. Notably, vertical programs such as those targeting Malaria, TB, and HIV require specialized data collection. The National Malaria Elimination Center utilizes the Health Management Information System (HMIS) system for facility reporting, complemented by the rapid reporting system for community data. Similarly, the TB and Leprosy program employs the TB surveillance system and an electronic health record system for TB surveillance. For HIV surveillance, the District Health Information Software (DHIS2) and electronic health records system is preferred due to its capability to disaggregate information beyond the scope of IDSR.