RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Improving National Intelligence for Public Health Preparedness: a methodological approach to finding local multi-sector indicators for health security
JF BMJ Global Health
JO BMJ Global Health
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP e004227
DO 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004227
VO 6
IS 1
A1 Ngozi A Erondu
A1 Afifah Rahman-Shepherd
A1 Mishal S Khan
A1 Ebba Abate
A1 Emmanuel Agogo
A1 Evelien Belfroid
A1 Osman Dar
A1 Angela Fehr
A1 Lara Hollmann
A1 Chikwe Ihekweazu
A1 Aamer Ikram
A1 Bjorn Gunnar Iversen
A1 Alemnesh H Mirkuzie
A1 Tayyab Razi Rathore
A1 Neil Squires
A1 Ebere Okereke
YR 2021
UL http://gh.bmj.com/content/6/1/e004227.abstract
AB The COVID-19 epidemic is the latest evidence of critical gaps in our collective ability to monitor country-level preparedness for health emergencies. The global frameworks that exist to strengthen core public health capacities lack coverage of several preparedness domains and do not provide mechanisms to interface with local intelligence. We designed and piloted a process, in collaboration with three National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) in Ethiopia, Nigeria and Pakistan, to identify potential preparedness indicators that exist in a myriad of frameworks and tools in varying local institutions. Following a desk-based systematic search and expert consultations, indicators were extracted from existing national and subnational health security-relevant frameworks and prioritised in a multi-stakeholder two-round Delphi process. Eighty-six indicators in Ethiopia, 87 indicators in Nigeria and 51 indicators in Pakistan were assessed to be valid, relevant and feasible. From these, 14–16 indicators were prioritised in each of the three countries for consideration in monitoring and evaluation tools. Priority indicators consistently included private sector metrics, subnational capacities, availability and capacity for electronic surveillance, measures of timeliness for routine reporting, data quality scores and data related to internally displaced persons and returnees. NPHIs play an increasingly central role in health security and must have access to data needed to identify and respond rapidly to public health threats. Collecting and collating local sources of information may prove essential to addressing gaps; it is a necessary step towards improving preparedness and strengthening international health regulations compliance.