BPDO, in collaboration with Project HOPE and CCRDA-CGPP, recently conducted a three-day Community-Based Surveillance (CBS) Training of Trainers (ToT) for project staff and Woreda experts from the Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM), Livestock, and Health Extension Program (HEP) sectors.
The training, delivered in four sessions across Gondar, Kombolcha, and Woldia, built a strong cohort of One Health champions. These participants are now equipped to strengthen systematic detection and reporting of priority diseases and unusual health events by community members to the formal health system.
Why CBS Matters
Community-Based Surveillance is a vital pillar of resilient health systems. It:
- Links communities directly with the health system
- Enables early detection of outbreaks and unusual events
- Empowers communities to protect their health
- Complements facility-based surveillance
Purpose of CBS
The CBS approach is designed to:
- Strengthen coordinated public health surveillance
- Prevent and control the spread of diseases
- Ensure early detection and rapid notification
- Enable timely response to prevent outbreaks
- Bridge gaps between communities and the formal health system
Key Functions of CBS
CBS operates through seven essential functions:
- Disease prevention: health education and promotion
- Detection: identifying priority diseases and rumors
- Reporting: timely communication to authorities
- Verification: confirming reported events
- Response: investigation, case management, RCCE, IPC
- Community feedback: ensuring transparency and trust
- Monitoring & evaluation: tracking CBS performance
Looking Ahead
By investing in CBS capacity, BPDO and its partners are strengthening the PHEM (Public health Emergency Management) system to detect, notify, and respond to health threats at the community level. This initiative not only builds technical expertise but also fosters collaboration across human, animal, and environmental health sectors advancing the One Health framework for stronger, healthier communities.
