Strengthening surveillance of and response to foodborne diseases: introductory manual

Overview

This publication updates the document published in 2017 entitled “Strengthening surveillance of and response to foodborne diseases: introductory module”.

The approach used by the World Health Organization to support countries in developing surveillance and response systems for foodborne diseases is introduced, along with the foundation for the full set of manuals. Guidance is provided on how to build coherent systems to detect, assess, and manage foodborne risks in line with international expectations.

Activities are placed within the context of the International Health Regulations, which require core capacities for early detection and assessment of public health events, including those linked to food. The contribution of foodborne disease surveillance and response to these capacities is explained, together with the three-stage framework used to guide system development.

Updates include revised guiding principles, expanded explanations of the importance of foodborne disease surveillance and response, and new material describing the relationship between foodborne disease surveillance and food contamination monitoring. A self-assessment tool in the annex enables countries to review capacities, determine their stage of development, and identify priorities for strengthening their systems. Use of the results to navigate the remaining manuals and plan practical next steps is also described.