National Surveillance Unit

Background

The National Surveillance Unit monitors notifiable diseases, health events and syndromes across Jamaica. It reviews reports from across the health system to detect unusual patterns, support investigations and inform public health action.

The Unit manages the surveillance system: the ongoing collection, collation, analysis and interpretation of health data on communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Objectives

• Detect outbreaks and support timely investigation and response.
• Estimate the scale of health problems and monitor trends in diseases and selected health events.
• Provide data for programme planning, priority-setting, monitoring and evaluation.
• Assess and strengthen surveillance at the parish, regional and national levels.

Structure

The Unit operates at Level 4 of Jamaica’s surveillance system. It compiles and validates information from reporting sites, parish health departments and Regional Health Authorities. The Ministry’s Medical Epidemiologist vacancy also identifies a communicable disease portfolio covering respiratory infections, vaccine-preventable diseases and healthcare-associated infections.