Notifiable diseases: Testing and treating every case to get ahead of the curve. Issue 2 (21st September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lamy, Marie; Chebbi, Amita; Datta, Rittika; Hein, Phone Si; Mercado, Chris Erwin G.; Mellor, Steve; Qi, Gao; Clark, Geoff
• Other Names: Lin Vivian guestEditor.; Pangestu Tikki guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Asia & the Pacific policy studies. Volume 8:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 243
• Page End: 252
• Publication Date: 2021-09-21
• Subjects: Policy sciences -- Asia -- Periodicals; Policy sciences -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; Policy sciences -- Australia -- Periodicals; Political planning -- Asia -- Periodicals; Political planning -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; Political planning -- Australia -- Periodicals; 320.6095
• DOI: 10.1002/app5.331
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-2680

Abstract

Abstract: This article explains how making a disease notifiable by law is a core component of a robust and well‐functioning health system. Mechanisms to rapidly detect and report existing or emerging infectious diseases in a timely manner are key to disease control and elimination. Using malaria in Asia‐Pacific as a case in point, we explore different policy considerations involved in making malaria a notifiable disease. These include the timing of legislative changes at different stages of elimination, investing in adequate infrastructure for a robust surveillance system that can support targeted interventions, and the importance of involving all sectors in the delivery of malaria services to detect, report and respond to every case. The article explains how frameworks to report on notifiable diseases, in this case malaria, contribute to improved regional health security.