Responsibilities
The Branch provides timely and accurate epidemiological information to support decisions and policy on the health of the nation. It collects, produces and shares data on diseases in Jamaica, and has a part in every outbreak response.
Reporting framework
Every week
- Weekly Epidemiology BulletinThe public and partners, on this site
- Weekly Syndromic Surveillance ReportCARPHA
- Weekly Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) reportCARPHA
Every four weeks
- Monthly Surveillance Report, syndromic and disease-specificCARPHA
Every month
- Disease-specific programme area reportsThe Ministry and partners in Jamaica
Every quarter
- HIV/AIDS reportThe Ministry and partners in Jamaica
Every year
- Annual Disease Report and EPI reportsCARPHA, PAHO/WHO
- Annual Hansen’s Disease ReportCARPHA, PAHO/WHO
- Annual Malaria ReportPAHO/WHO
- Annual TB ReportPAHO/WHO, CARPHA
- Annual Surveillance ReportThe Ministry and partners in Jamaica
As needed
- AlertsThe public and partners
The Ministry: the Minister, the Chief Medical Officer, the Permanent Secretary and technical staff. Partners in Jamaica: the regional health authorities, parish health departments, the Statistical Institute of Jamaica and the Planning Institute of Jamaica. Every report from the National Surveillance Unit is reviewed by its head before it goes out.
Surveillance
The National Surveillance Unit works at Level 4 of Jamaica’s surveillance system. It:
- collects, reviews and validates the notifications from reporting sites, parish health departments and regional health authorities
- analyses the data and turns it into information, and shares it
- helps with investigations, and carries out active surveillance for selected diseases
- develops prevention and control actions and strategies
- works with Level 5 on policy, guidelines and protocols, and supports policy decisions in the parishes and regions
- monitors and evaluates the surveillance work of the regional health authorities and parish health departments.
- Patient / Community
Level 1
- Sentinel and HAS sitesHealth centres and hospitals
- Regional labs / private labs
- Hotels
- Ports of entry
- Private physicians
- Other healthcare facilities
Level 2
- National Public Health Lab (NPHL)
- National Influenza Centre (NIC)
- Parish Health Departments
Level 3
- Regional Health Authority
Level 4NSU
- National Surveillance Unit
Level 5
- Minister of Health and Wellness / PS / CMO / National Epidemiologist
Level 6
- CARPHA / PAHO / WHO
Outbreaks
- Suspected outbreaks are reported immediately to the Medical Officer of Health and the National Surveillance Unit.
- The National Epidemiologist, with regional technical directors and medical officers of health, presents the surveillance evidence on which the Chief Medical Officer advises the Minister that there is an outbreak.
- When an outbreak spreads beyond one parish, a regional or national response team is formed, led by a Regional Technical Director or the National Epidemiologist.
- Nationally, the Minister, Chief Medical Officer, Permanent Secretary or National Epidemiologist speaks for the Ministry, with messages prepared with the National Surveillance Unit.
The monthly surveillance meeting
On the third Thursday of every month except August and December, the National Advisory Committee on Surveillance meets at the Extended Surveillance Meeting to review data from every parish and health region. The National Surveillance Unit’s Medical Epidemiologist chairs it. The National Epidemiologist, PAHO’s adviser on epidemiology and surveillance, regional medical epidemiologists, medical officers of health and surveillance officers attend, and partner ministries and agencies present.
Source: National Surveillance Manual for Jamaica (July 2026); National Epidemiology Branch