SWOT Analysis of Communicable Disease Surveillance in Sudan

Effective communicable disease surveillance is critical in Sudan to addressing the compounded health impacts of concurrent epidemics, health systems collapse and acute conflict. This article aims to map the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Sudan's communicable disease surveillance systems before the current conflict to inform future health system rebuilding efforts. Despite existing for 50 years, little is published on Sudan's disease surveillance systems. We conducted a scoping review to map the existing evidence on Sudan's surveillance systems and utilized a strength, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis to identify current and future gaps and opportunities to improve the performance of these systems for communicable diseases in Sudan. Our review shows that, prior to the conflict, disease-specific surveillance and response activities were fragmented across various divisions of the Federal Ministry of Health, hindering a clear national-level hierarchy. Sudan has committed to strengthening its disease surveillance system as part of its national health sector policy. Efforts to bolster pandemic preparedness and response were and continue to be recognized as critical. Chiefly among them is the need to invest in a fit-for-purpose national surveillance system that can operate against a background of acute crisis. Greater transparency and data sharing, clear guidelines for communication and collaboration and a centralized data management system can enhance the effectiveness of Sudan's communicable disease surveillance systems. Investment in a consolidated national surveillance system can support more efficient and coordinated responses to outbreaks and other health emergencies, with a view to future health system reconstruction.