We build the capacity of public health leaders to design, implement and evaluate innovative and epidemiologically rigorous surveillance methods to measure disease burden, identify populations in need, understand barriers to care and treatment, and assess the impact of population-level programs. We support data collection, analysis and use for public health decision-making by conducting household-level surveys, population-size estimation, and probability-based epidemiological studies among key and priority populations and enhancing case reporting systems. By building capacity in health ministries and other partners to hone national public health surveillance systems, we help countries use data to prioritize limited resources and enact evidence-based responses to control epidemics.

Initiatives

Case-based and laboratory-based surveillance

We build the capacity of ministries of health to establish, improve and evaluate case-based and laboratory surveillance systems. We evaluate existing systems and provide guidance in establishing new ones. HIV case reporting data is used to monitor trends in prevalent HIV infection, characterize the affected populations, identify the number of persons in need of care and allocate treatment. 

DiSARM

DiSARM is a surveillance and decision-support platform, designed to allow disease control programs to perform complex spatial and mathematical analyses on their data to help inform decision-making. A core feature of DiSARM is the ability to combine disease surveillance data with satellite derived environmental and climatological variables to produce risk maps in near real time. DiSARM also uses mathematical models to help turn risk maps into decision maps to support the targeting, monitoring and evaluation of control activities.

Household-based AIDS indicator surveys and population-based HIV impact assessments

We provide technical expertise and capacity building on the development, implementation, data analysis, interpretation and dissemination of results of large-scale household AIDS indicator surveys and population-based HIV impact assessments. These household-based surveys collect interview and biological data from nationally representative samples of adults and children to provide estimates of the prevalence and incidence of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI); prevalence of risk behaviors; uptake of prevention and clinical interventions; access to, need for and utilization of HIV-related care; and impact of prevention and treatment programs at the population level, including viral suppression. We lead data analysis and scientific writing workshops combined with in-person and distance-based mentoring that culminate in scientific reports and manuscripts.

Incidence surveillance systems

We design and implement innovative strategies to measure HIV incidence among general and key populations using gold standard methods, which involve the longitudinal observation of seroconverters within communities and populations. We develop innovative collaborations with service delivery partners to embed epidemiologically rigorous methods into routine program activities, such as HIV testing, linkage-to-care and case management programs. In addition to incidence calculation, we help countries assess program impact and progress towards 90-90-90 through the collection of additional biological data (including CD4 distribution and viral load) and behavioral data (including exposure to and participation in HIV prevention/care/treatment programs and services and risk behaviors).

Integrated biological-behavioral surveillance surveys and population-size estimation

We help country stakeholders design and implement integrated biological-behavioral surveillance (IBBS) surveys, including population size estimation among key populations at risk for HIV infection, by incorporating novel uses of technology and social media. We designed an IBBS Toolbox that includes research protocols, survey instruments, operations manuals, training materials, templates for disseminating results, and best practice guidelines for IBBS surveys and population-size estimation in key populations.

Malaria surveillance

The Malaria Elimination Initiative's work on surveillance includes developing tools, assisting countries in implementing those tools, conducting research in countries to understand and improve collaboration on malaria elimination surveillance between the private sector and national programs and much more. Visit shrinkingthemalariamap.org to learn more.

Pandemic Community Response and Resilience Initiative

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) must develop their own playbooks to prevent widespread devastation from the COVID-19 pandemic, tailored to the realities of their populations and economies. Community-based delivery of health interventions, the linchpin of success against malaria and other diseases, will be at the heart of a successful response.

PROMPT: Primaquine Roll Out Monitoring Pharmacovigilance Tool

Developed by our Malaria Elimination Initiative, PROMPT is an easy and adaptable approach for national malaria programs to strengthen pharmacovigilance for the safe introduction of primaquine, an anitmalarial drug. PROMPT’s flexible platform supports both passive and active surveillance, allowing for adaptability to a wide range of program capacity. Data collected from PROMPT is fed into a global repository to promote data sharing across multiple stakeholders and diverse epidemiological settings needed for a broader analysis of primaquine safety data