Surveillance of communicable diseases for decisionmaking in Egypt: 2006-2013

• Published in: Eastern Mediterranean health journal Vol. 23; no. 6; pp. 395 - 403
• Main Authors: Abdel-Razik, Madiha S M, Rizk, Hoda I I, Hassan, Mahmoud H M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Egypt 20-08-2017
• ISSN: 1020-3397

The Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population surveillance system provides data about notifiable communicable diseases. This study aimed to provide information for decision-making to reduce the burden of communicable diseases in Egypt by analysis of the surveillance data for 2006-2013 to identify trends in the incidence of the diseases by governorate, season, age and sex. Composite risk-index scores were estimated to rank the 27 Egyptian governorates into 3 groups: high, medium and low risk. The 15 diseases with the highest incidence were food and waterborne diseases (5 diseases), vaccine-preventable diseases (7 diseases) and others, e.g. hepatitis C infection. Bloody diarrhoea and typhoid had the high incidence for 2006-2013. There were 11 high-risk governorates; Ismailia had the highest risk-index score. The findings suggest the need for specific interventions related to environmental sanitation and improving the childhood immunization programme, particularly in the high-risk governorates.