The Ministry of Health and Sanitation together with the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education with the support of the World Health Organization in Sierra Leone has launched the Integrated Diseases Surveillance and Response (IDSR) pre and in-service curricula in Bo city.

The curricula which was developed by a team of academics from across Sierra Leone’s universities and public health training institutions , working together with a WHO technical team will serve as the working document for the training of health care workers in surveillance and response in Sierra Leone.

Chaired by the Chief Medical Officer for Sierra Leone, Rev. Canon Dr. Thomas Samba, the launching of the IDSR/IHR pre and In-service curricula drew high level participants from academia – vice chancellors of universities, heads of public health departments and lecturers – and top technical officers of the ministries of Health and Sanitation and Technical and Higher Education, including the minster of Tertiary and Higher Education, Prof Aiah Gbakima and the deputy minister 1 of the ministry of health and Sanitation Dr. Anthony Sandi. The event was punctuated with presentations from public health experts from WHO, MOHS and the universities.

While making his presentation – Why IDSR? –, Dr. Charles Njuguna, the Health Security and Emergencies coordinator for WHO Sierra Leone gave a brief background of the early beginnings of the concept of the IDSR which he remarked started way back in 1998. Since then the concept has gradually developed as member states make efforts at dealing with diseases outbreaks. The core functions of the IDSR according to Dr. Njuguna is to identify, report, analyze, investigate, prepare, respond, communicate and evaluate outbreak of diseases.

“The purpose of this curricula is to have a comprehensive, evidence-based strategy for strengthening national public health surveillance and response system” said Dr. Njuguna. He further said “Implementation of the curricula in public health training institutions will generate a critical mass of well-trained human resource and contribute to the sustainability of IDSR”.

Dr. Njuguna stressed the need for the various players in the health sector to work collaboratively as the world gears towards a one health approach which integrates issues of animal and human health.

“The one health approach is important because when we discover through surveillance that animals are carrying diseases, we can quickly respond to ensure that it doesn’t spread to humans.” Dr. Njuguna added.

In his statement, the WR a.i, Dr. Steven Velabo Shongwe, commended the technical officers that contributed to the development of the curricular and the Government Sierra Leone, especially the ministers who attended the launching.

“The presence of the ministers is a clear demonstration of their commitment to strengthening surveillance and response to disease outbreaks” said Dr. Shongwe. The WR a.i also commended Sierra Leone as one of the first countries to roll out the third edition of the IDSR technical guidelines in the African region.