05 Jun 2013

Ngamiland District has been doing well in data collection and reporting since adoption of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy.

The community health nurse and IDRS focal person in the district, Ms Itumeleng Kamwi said IDRS was first adopted in 2003 and implemented to interrogate and ensure effective communication and management of data as well as reporting.

Ms Kamwi said the strategy had improved the collection of data and reporting, which helped in decision making. “The system makes our work easy because reports from clinics are analysed every week and immediate action is taken on problems identified,” she said

Ms Kamwi said, “the participants are expected to gain knowledge and skills on disease surveillance and response so that they could use it at their different departments.” Officially opening the workshop,  Ngamiland District Health Management Team's, Ms Kabelo Maupo said diseases such as diarrhoea and malaria posed serious challenge, noting that last year many children under five years lost their lives due to diarrhoea. 

The Department of Clinical Services held a one-day workshop to discuss strategies on how to prevent communicable diseases and to share experiences and challenges affecting Ngamiland.

The workshop which was attended by guidance teachers, village development committee (VDC) leadership and health workers from Tsau, Khwai, Sehithwa  and Maun, aimed at creating awareness about Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system for health workers and the community leadership. ENDS