المحتويات
When the investigation is over, write an accurate, concise report. It should contain the following elements:
1 - Summary
2 - Introduction
- Quick description of the overall, health and epidemiological context:
- geographic, administrative, and logistical (access, distances, etc.) information,
- population data,
- security, population movements, social events, etc.,
- health system,
- epidemiological situation in previous years: cases, deaths, vaccination coverage (EPI and campaigns, specify the target population), dates of most recent outbreaks, and risk factors,
- succinct description of the surveillance system: case definition, reporting system, data transmission and analysis.
3 - Objectives of the investigation and methods
- How was the alert given?
- General and specific objectives
- Team composition, resources and sequence of events
- People met with
4 - Results
- Laboratory confirmation: type of specimens, number and results
- Epidemiological description (time, place and person):
- date of the alert and the first cases,
- number of cases and deaths, case fatality rate,
- epidemic curve,
- attack rate by location,
- attack rate by age group.
Describe the situation, from the general to the specific (e.g., regions and districts, IDP camps and sectors, city and neighbourhoods). Specify the data source.
5 - Analysis of results and discussion
- Is the outbreak confirmed, and according to which definition?
- Is there laboratory confirmation?
- Which are the hardest hit places and populations?
- Which control measures have been implemented?
- What are the current response capabilities? Are they appropriate and sufficient?
- surveillance and laboratory,
- patient management (treatment protocol, availability of drugs and supplies, human resources, etc.),
- vaccination,
- information.
- Available resources: staff, laboratory, medical and non-medical supplies, etc.
6 - Conclusion(s)
7 - Recommendations/proposed interventions
- Surveillance and laboratory
- Patient management
- Vaccination
- Informing the population
Specify the protocols, target populations, strategies and means.
8 - Appendices
- Tables
- Graphs
To speed up or improve the response, technical support may be needed for:
- surveillance ;
- case management: organisation, supervision and procurement ;
- the vaccination campaign: logistics and medical support for planning, organisation, supervision and assessment;
- assessing the intervention: functioning, results, impact, cost ;
- emergency preparedness: technical support and training.
Evaluate the need for technical support as soon as the outbreak begins. Draw up the terms of reference or collaboration.