Eleventh International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

Globally, TB is a major public health concern. In Jordan, TB incidence rate declined in the last 19 years to 5.5 per 100,000 people. A good TB Surveillance System is paramount to effective TB control. TB Surveillance System in Jordan is a passive case-based system. It relies on multiple layers of reporting structure from the facility to the central level. This evaluation included a detailed description of the current efficiency of the surveillance systems. We assessed the current NTP and TB Surveillance System in Jordan. A semi-structured assessment tool (questionnaire) was developed based on the ‘Updated Guidelines for Evaluating Public Health Surveillance Systems’ of the CDC. The tool was modified to render the framework applicable to the context of NTP and TB surveillance in Jordan and was used to collect data through conducting focus group discussion with TB key informants and stakeholders regarding NTP, and TB Surveillance System and its attributes. The NTP and TB surveillance system is well structured with a wide network of data resources. The system was found to be simple, flexible, though it just partially met its objectives. It was also found to have an intermediate level of usefulness of data, data completeness and quality. However, a low level of coordination for case notification, data validation, case finding, and trained personnel has been observed. In conclusion, there is a need to improve the data quality and validity, develop an electronic reporting system, and train the TB personnel on TB case management and surveillance.