Many public health events and emergencies and their associated risk factors could be prevented, or their effects mitigated. However, the health systems in most countries remain inadequate. To avert and mitigate the effects of health security risks and emergencies, countries are urged to implement Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) guidelines. These guidelines recommend thresholds for action on priority diseases, public health events and conditions and for responding to alerts. Using these action thresholds can be lifesaving.

The key goals for IDSR strategy includes integration of multiple existing surveillance and response systems increasing synergy and efficiency.  The new IDRS guidelines now links data from disease surveillance, laboratory and other sources to facilitate public health decisions and actions. The guidelines also explicitly describe what needs to be established at each level of the health system to detect, confirm, and respond to diseases/health events that are responsible for all preventable illnesses, deaths and disabilities in local communities.

It is in this context, that the Ministry of Health in Zanzibar with support from WHO and partners embarked on an exercise to adapt the 3^rd edition of IDSR guidelines.

The adaptation aligns with the Africa’s Regional Strategy for Health Security and Emergencies (2016-2020) enabling Zanzibar’s disease surveillance system to utilize opportunities available on mobile phone networks because of increased broadband internet connectivity. This will facilitate and electronic surveillance systems and faster sharing of information.

 “Apart from expediting our migration from paper-based information sharing from district to national level, these new guidelines provide principles that will strengthen and revitalize the event-based surveillance system that we had developed. It is also creating a platform for wider and effective participation of stakeholders,” said Dr. Fadhili M. Abdalla-Director of Preventive Services-MoH Zanzibar.

A series of working sessions were convened from 6^th to 14 July 2020 in Unguja gathering experts from various programs implementing IDSR guidelines from Ministry Heath Zanzibar and Tanzania Mainland, WHO, UNICEF, CDC and other implementing partners in Zanzibar.

Implementation of the new Zanzibar IDSR guidelines will strengthen International Heath Regulations(IHR) core capacities in prevention, timely detection and response to emerging and re-emerging diseases and events.