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PESHAWAR, Sep 07 (APP):The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department Sunday initiated a community-based surveillance (CBS) system aimed at improving early detection and response to communicable diseases across the province.
As part of the rollout, a two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop commenced in Abbottabad, supported by the National Institute of Health (NIH) Pakistan, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and Department of Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The training brought together key stakeholders including Director Public Health Dr. Saleem, fellows from the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), medical staff from the District Health Office Mardan, and other relevant personnel.
The CBS system will initially be piloted in 20 union councils of Mardan district. Its core objective is to ensure timely identification, reporting, and response to disease outbreaks at the community level.
Under the new framework, Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and community workers will report emerging health issues within their communities to Lady Health Supervisors (LHSs). These supervisors will then forward the data to their respective Basic Health Units (BHUs), which will relay the information to the District Health Office (DHO). From there, the data will be compiled and shared with the provincial health authorities, ultimately contributing to national-level disease surveillance.
According to the KP Health Department, the system is expected to significantly enhance the province’s capacity to detect and respond to outbreaks swiftly. Officials believe it will strengthen both rural and urban healthcare delivery and serve as a vital tool in preventing the spread of infectious diseases nationwide.
The initiative marks a strategic step toward modernizing public health infrastructure and ensuring a more resilient and responsive healthcare system across Pakistan.