Implementation of surveillance systems to determine the burden of communicable diseases in a facility in Qatar

Abstract

Background: Hospital-based surveillance has proved useful in determining the incidence of infectious diseases. Aims: This study aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics of reported cases and specific performance indicators of the surveillance system. Methods: A descriptive study of reported communicable diseases was carried out in The Cuban Hospital (Qatar) during January 2012 to December 2013. A multidimensional communicable diseases surveillance approach was used. Information of epidemiological variables, laboratory confirmation and notification date were collected. We calculated the proportion of cases with laboratory confirmation and time between the report by the physician and notification to the Supreme Council of Health. Results: A total of 1065 patients were reported; 802 (75.3%) male with a mean age of 33.2 (standard deviation 15.4) years. There was a predominance of cases from Southeast Asia (41.5%) and Eastern Mediterranean Region (16.7%). There were 539 cases of influenza-like illness, 186 of skin infectious diseases, 66 of scabies, 48 with multidrug-resistant organisms, and 39 cases of diarrhoea of presumed infectious etiology. A steady increase in laboratory confirmation was observed (mean 59.3%). Timing for notification to the Supreme Council of Health was 1.88 (2.9) days. Conclusion: The implemented hospital-based surveillance system was feasible and delivered important insights into the epidemiological characteristic of communicable diseases in a western community in Qatar.