Local XXXX surveillance and control: experiences from the Mekong Basin.

@entity66 @entity8668
BACKGROUND: The @entity66 ( @entity66 ) is one of several sub-regional disease surveillance networks that have emerged in recent years as an approach to transnational cooperation for infectious disease prevention and control. Since 2003 @entity66 has pioneered a unique model for @entity8668 . This study examines stakeholders' perspectives of these @entity66 experiences, based on a survey of local managers and semi-structured interviews with @entity66 leaders and the central coordinator. RESULTS: Fifteen managers from 12 of 20 paired @entity8668 completed a written survey. They all monitor most or all of the 17 diseases agreed upon for @entity66 surveillance information sharing. Fourteen agreed or strongly agreed with statements about the core @entity66 values of cooperation, mutual trust, and transparency, and their own contributions to national and regional disease control (average score of 4.4 of 5.0). Respondents felt they implemented well to very well activities related to surveillance reporting (average scores 3.4 to 3.9 of 4.0), using computers for their work (3.9/4.0), and using surveillance data for action (3.8/4.0). Respondents reported that they did worst in implementing research (2.1/4.0) and somewhat poorly for local laboratory testing (2.9/4.0) and local coordination with cross-border counterparts (2.9/4.0), although all 15 maintain a list with contact information for these counterparts and many know their counterparts. Implementation of specified activities within their collective regional action plan was uneven across the @entity8668 . Most respondents reported positive lessons learned about local cooperation, information sharing and joint problem solving, based on trusting relationships with their cross-border counterparts. They recommend expansion of @entity8668 within @entity66 and consideration of the cross-border cooperation model by other sub-regional networks. CONCLUSIONS: @entity66 has over a decade of experience with its model of @entity8668 in disease surveillance and control. Frontline managers have documented success with this model, strongly support it and recommend its expansion within and beyond the @entity66 network. The @entity66 cross-border cooperation model is standing the test of time as a solid approach to building and sustaining the public health capabilities needed for disease surveillance and control from the local to national and global levels.
