ABSTRACT

Abstract

Health workers are in the frontline of disease surveillance and notification activity. Doctors serve as gatekeepers in diagnosis and treatment of cases in the population, they also serve to promptly inform the relevant health authority on notifiable diseases using the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response Strategy (IDSR) strategy. This study sought to determine the perception and preferences of resident doctors towards disease surveillance and notification (DSN). A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among 224 resident doctors. Data was collected through the use of a structured, self-administered questionnaire and analyses were done by SPSS version 16. The mean (SD) age of respondents was 31.1 (4.6) years. Majority of respondents (88.4%) were aware of DSN. Majority of respondents (93.8%) considered notification of diseaseas an important public health even though a minority of respondents (18.8%) had ever notified relevant authority. Majority of respondents (90.6%) agreed that a training in epidemic preparedness, disease surveillance and notification (IDSR) was necessary to them as doctors with the internet being the preferred channel of feedback on DSN information (28.6%). While the majority of respondents were aware and had a positive perception of disease surveillance and notification, just a few respondents had ever notified relevant authority on a notifiable disease, training was expressed as a need among respondents and the internet was the preferred channel for feedback on DSN information. This provides an opportunity for effective disease surveillance and notification activity in the presence of adequate logistic and system support. Continued training of doctors on the IDSR strategy is therefore strongly recommended for improved health system performance.