The Lagos State Ministry of Health has trained Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) to strengthen the state’s capacity for early detection, reporting, and response to public health threats.

Its permanent secretary, Dayo Lajide, on Thursday, underscored the importance of maximising in-person training opportunities despite funding and logistical constraints.

The training has the theme, “From Data to Action: Hands-on Surveillance Evaluation Using Case-Based Approaches”.

It brought together frontline surveillance officers, public health experts, laboratory scientists, and development partners to sharpen skills in real-time data use and coordinated response.

Ms Lajide described the theme as apt, noting that the transition from data collection to actionable intelligence remains central to effective public health interventions in an increasingly complex global health environment.

Highlighting the pivotal role of DSNOs, Ms Lajide said, “You are truly the first point of alert in our system.”

She stressed the need for adherence to proper reporting channels to ensure timely interventions at both district and state levels.

She further emphasised the importance of communication, noting that inaccurate or poorly managed information dissemination could trigger public anxiety, especially in cases involving infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

“We may be doing a lot of work, but without proper dissemination of information, the public remains uninformed,” she said, adding that trained public affairs officers were critical in managing risk communication effectively.

Ms Lajide acknowledged the contributions of stakeholders across the surveillance ecosystem, describing their collaboration as essential to building a resilient health system.

The director of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, Ismail Abdus-Salam, described the programme as a flagship initiative unique to Lagos State.

He noted that the training was designed to reinforce learning through repetition while introducing innovations in surveillance practice.

This, he said, includes the transition from paper-based to electronic systems and improved data communication to policymakers.

“The essence of this programme is capacity building and ensuring that we translate data into action,” he said.

Also speaking, the state disease surveillance and notification officer, Lakunle Openiyi, said the training focused on equipping participants with practical skills using real-time case scenarios.

“The goal is to ensure that surveillance data is effectively utilised to guide timely and evidence-based public health decisions at both community and state levels,” he said.

The Ibeju-Lekki DSNO, Samson Omotesho, noted that the case-based approach provided clearer insight into outbreak detection and response.

Similarly, Adebukola Adeniji, Somolu DSNO, highlighted improved understanding of data analysis and reporting accuracy.

They both called for sustained capacity-building initiatives and the replication of similar training at local government and facility levels to strengthen grassroots surveillance.

Modinat Akiolu, surveillance and disease control programme officer at the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, described surveillance as the “eyes and hands of the health system.”

“Imagine missing the detection of an outbreak in your community and the number of lives that could be affected. This highlights the importance of your role,” she said.

Ms Akiolu commended the consistency of the programme and the support of the Ministry’s leadership, urging participants to apply the knowledge gained to improve outbreak detection and response.

She added that surveillance goes beyond data collection to include leadership, problem-solving, and service delivery, all geared toward protecting public health.

 (NAN)