Dr. Ines Cherif, a medical doctor in Tunisia, is transforming tuberculosis surveillance through her MediPIET fellowship. Her evaluation of the TB reporting system highlights significant underreporting, with a sensitivity of only 51%. This initiative aims to expand to a national level to further assess the disease burden and improve public health strategies, fostering collaboration among health professionals.
This article discusses the important work of Dr. Ines Cherif, a medical doctor from Tunisia specializing in Preventive and Community Medicine. Currently serving as an assistant professor at the Pasteur Institute of Tunis and the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, she commenced her MediPIET fellowship in September 2022, focusing on tuberculosis surveillance in partnership with the National Observatory of New and Emerging Diseases.
During her fellowship, Dr. Cherif conducted a critical evaluation of the existing tuberculosis (TB) surveillance system in Tunis. Despite the national TB control programme providing free vaccination and outpatient treatment, the estimated incidence in 2017 was notable at 29 per 100,000, with some areas exceeding 40 per 100,000. Additionally, the pandemic exacerbated challenges in case screening and treatment access, raising concerns regarding underreporting of cases.
To address the identified gaps in the TB surveillance system, Dr. Cherif designed a pilot study aimed at estimating the notification completeness of TB cases in Tunis for 2022. Collaborating with healthcare authorities, she employed the capture-recapture method to analyze mandatory notification data and outpatient treatment records, facing challenges in data duplication due to inconsistent identifiers and formats.
The findings indicated an alarming underreporting of TB cases, revealing approximately 779 incidences in 2022, translating to an incidence rate of 72 per 100,000. With only 51% sensitivity of the surveillance system, there is a pressing need to enhance reporting mechanisms. The study aims to expand its scope nationally to assess regional disparities and gather insights from healthcare professionals and public health authorities regarding system effectiveness.
Dr. Cherif reflects on her experience leading this project as immensely rewarding, citing collaboration with national and regional stakeholders as instrumental in fostering shared learning and resource pooling. The MediPIET fellowship has been critical in providing support, training, and feedback, significantly contributing to both her professional development and her commitment to advancing public health in Tunisia.
The MediPIET training program is designed to strengthen health security in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, complementing the EU initiative on health security, which aims to address cross-border health threats in candidate and partner countries.
In conclusion, Dr. Ines Cherif’s work highlights the urgent need for improved tuberculosis surveillance in Tunisia. Through her MediPIET fellowship, she has identified significant gaps in reporting and collaborated with healthcare authorities to seek solutions. The commitment to expanding the study nationally underscores a proactive approach to public health. Ultimately, this endeavor aims to inform policymakers and enhance disease control strategies within the region.
Original Source: www.ecdc.europa.eu
