Effective communicable disease control through rapid detection and prompt response to outbreaks is one of the priorities during a humanitarian crisis, as communicable diseases can be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in emergencies, particularly in countries with poor disease surveillance mechanisms. Yemen is among many developing countries being hit by conflicts, displacement of population and disruption of basic services, where among other public health risks and threats the population is exposed to risks of several communicable diseases. Thus, effective preventive and control measures through early detection and rapid identification of infectious diseases and provision of a public health response to communicable disease outbreaks, a crucial priority health intervention, need to be directed towards diseases that are endemic and particularly those which can potentially cause excess numbers of mortality and morbidity within a short span of time.
Objective
The intended objective of the Electronic Disease Early Warning System (eDEWS) is to minimize morbidity and mortality due to communicable diseases through detection of potential outbreaks at their earliest possible stage using a novel modeling approach that mainly facilitates the transformation of data into actionable information.