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Acute Flaccid Paralysis surveillance system performance in Jordan, 2012-2016: a teaching case-study

Acute Flaccid Paralysis surveillance system performance in Jordan, 2012-2016: a teaching case-study

Fatima Zerriouh1,&, Yousef Khader2, Nabil Sabri3, Kamel Abusal3, Ibrahim Iblan4, Layla Ghaffari3, Mohammed Abdallat5, Malak Shaheen6

 

1Jordan Field Epidemiology Training Program, Community Medicine Residency Program, Ministry of Health, Jordan, 2Department of Community Medicine, Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Jordan, 3Expanded Program on Immunization, Communicable Diseases Directorate, Ministry of Health, Jordan, 4Jordan Field Epidemiology Training Program, Ministry of Health, Jordan, 5Communicable diseases Directorate, MoH, Jordan, 6Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

 

 

&Corresponding author
Fatima Zerriouh, Jordan Field Epidemiology Training Program, Community Medicine Residency Program, Ministry of Health, Jordan

 

 

Abstract

Nationwide Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance is one of the key strategies to timely detect paralytic poliomyelitis and to respond effectively to interrupt poliovirus transmission. One way to ensure that AFP surveillance is implemented with the required standards and to identify limitations and gaps in order to maintain the polio-free status is conducting evaluation of AFP surveillance. This case study simulates an evaluation of AFP surveillance system in Jordan from 2012-2016 for teaching purposes to develop competencies in evaluating AFP surveillance using WHO minimum performance indicators. It was designed for the training of basic level field epidemiology trainees or any other health care providers working in public health-related fields, who should be able to complete this exercise in approximately 3-4 hours.

 

 

How to use this case study    Down

General instructions: this case study should be used as adjunct training material for novice epidemiology trainees to reinforce the concepts taught in prior lectures. The case study is ideally taught by a facilitator in groups of about 20 participants. Participants are to take turns reading the case study, usually a paragraph per student. The facilitator guides the discussion on possible responses to questions. The facilitator may make use of flip charts to illustrate certain points. Additional instructor’s notes for facilitation are coupled with each question in the instructor’s guide to aid facilitation.

 

Audience: this case study was developed for novice field epidemiology students. These participants are commonly health care workers working in the country departments of health whose background may be as medical doctors, nurses, environmental health officers or laboratory scientists who work in public health-related fields. Most have a health science or biology background.

 

Prerequisites: before using this case study, participants should have received lectures on AFP surveillance and WHO performance indicators for AFP surveillance.

 

Materials needed: Flash drive, flip charts, markers, computers with MS Excel

 

Level of training and associated public health activity: Novice – Evaluation of surveillance system

 

Time required: 3-4 hours

 

Language: English

 

 

Case study material Up    Down

  • Download the case study student guide
  • Request the case study facilitator guide

 

 

Competing interest Up    Down

The authors declare no competing interests.

 

 

Acknowledgements Up    Down

The authors would like to acknowledge the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET), Jordan Field Epidemiology Training Program (JFETP), all the staff from the Department of Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI-Jordan) and all facilitators of the regional case-study design and development workshop, who provided valuable technical contributions to this case-study.

 

 

References Up    Down

  1. Forty-first World Health Assembly. WHA428: Global eradication of poliomyelitis by the year 2000. Geneva: WHO. 1988. Accessed on 04 March 2019.

  2. WHO. Recommended standards for surveillance of selected vaccine preventable diseases: Vaccines and Biologicals. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2003; pp 31-34.