ASTMH 2016, Arnaud Le Menach: “Technological challenges preventing malaria surveillance systems from effectively supporting malaria elimination”

In collaboration with ASTMH, Image Audiovisuals, and session presenters, MESA brings you this webcast from the 65th ASTMH annual meeting in Atlanta, November 2016.

Title: “Technological challenges preventing malaria surveillance systems from effectively supporting malaria elimination”

Speaker: Arnaud Le Menach, CHAI

Session information: Symposium 150: “Towards Better Surveillance: Assessing and Building on Routine Systems to Develop Specialized Surveillance Platforms for Elimination”

Wednesday, 16 November, 4:00 – 5:45pm, Marriott – Marquis C

Abstract:

The surveillance system is the backbone of a malaria elimination program, providing information on where parasites can be found in people, where transmission is occurring, how interventions should be targeted, and how regions are progressing towards goals. Many countries are currently transitioning from surveillance systems reporting aggregated case data towards systems that facilitate rapid confirmation, reporting, and investigation of individual cases and enhanced analytic methods to guide decision-making related to anti-malaria interventions. That transition requires navigating a myriad of technological challenges to facilitate accurate collection and analysis of epidemiological intelligence. Data collected or reported through different and fragmented channels must be linked together into unified intelligence systems. Finally, data must be routinely analyzed for programmatic decision-making and appropriate response. This symposium will provide an overview of the technical challenges faced by countries as they are transitioning to an elimination-focused surveillance system, including the development of regional platforms for data collection, and to harmonizing multiple national systems into one cohesive approach. Specific surveillance challenges encountered in elimination countries across southern Africa and southeast Asia will be presented. Presentations from individual countries will cover innovative solutions to issues such as cross-border surveillance of migrants, combining entomological and epidemiological surveillance in one system, and harmonization of multiple legacy surveillance systems into one comprehensive platform. The symposium will conclude with a Q&A panel discussion with presenters to discuss best practices and novel approaches to developing effective surveillance systems for elimination.