Citation: Saravoye T, Nyandoro M, Bangure D, Gombe NT and Tshimanga M. An Evaluation of the Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) Surveillance System in Zvimba District, Mashonaland West Province; a Descriptive Cross Sectional Study. Austin J Public Health Epidemiol. 2015;2(1): 1017. Austin J Public Health Epidemiol - Volume 2 Issue 1 - 2015 ISSN : 2381-9014 | www.austinpublishinggroup.com Bangure et al. © All rights are reserved Austin Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology Open Access Abstract Background: In 2013, Zvimba district investigated 7 cases of AFP. Among the seven cases investigated, three had stool specimens collected more than 21 days after the onset of symptoms against a target of within 14 days. Only one of the seven cases had physical examination after 60 days from onset of symptoms. We therefore carried out this study to evaluate the AFP surveillance system in Zvimba district, Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at 36 health facilities in Zvimba District, Zimbabwe. Structured questionnaires, checklist and AFP notiication forms were used to collect data. Permission to proceed was sought and granted from the Mashonaland West Provincial Medical Director, Zvimba District Medical Oficer and the Zimbabwe Health Studies Ofice. Results: Eighty-ive percent of respondents were nurses. The median years in service was 7 years (Q 1 =4; Q 3 =10). Knowledge was good (83%). Ninety-six percent were willing to participate in the surveillance. Twenty four percent had ever completed an AFP form and eighty one percent reported that completion of the form was simple. All the 36 health centres in the district were accessible by road and had a cell phone and a working network reception. No form had laboratory results. Ninety nine percent perceived the AFP surveillance system as useful and 82% used data at local level. Conclusion: knowledge of health workers was good. The AFP surveillance system was useful, simple, stable, sensitive and representative. However the system was not timely. Completeness of data on the notiication forms was also poor. Follow up physical examination on AFP cases was not done. Keywords: Acute laccid paralysis, Polio, Surveillance, Zvimba district, Zimbabwe in the presence of certiication standard surveillance. In addition, all facilities holding wild poliovirus infectious and potentially infectious materials must have implemented bio-containment measures according to the Global action plan for laboratory containment of wild poliovirus [2]. Out of the six WHO regions, four regions have so far been certiied polio free, with two regions yet to be certiied polio free. he certiied regions are: WHO Region of the Americas (1994); the Western Paciic Region (2000); the WHO European Region (2002) and the WHO South-East Asia Region (2014). he WHO Eastern Mediterranean and the WHO African Regions are yet to be certiied as free from polio [3]. Disease surveillance is the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of data regarding a health-related event for use in public health action to reduce morbidity and mortality and to improve health [4]. he quality of AFP surveillance is measured by using a standard deinition for sensitivity and completeness, as follows: a rate of one or more non-polio AFP cases per 100,000 population aged 15 years Introduction Poliomyelitis is an infectious disease caused by the polio virus which afects mostly young children below iteen years of age. he natural or wild polio infects human beings only. he virus is contracted through faecal-oral route. he incubation period for poliomyelitis is seven to fourteen days. Symptoms of polio infection include fever, headache, stif neck, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea [1,2]. About one per 200 of infected people develop some degree of paralysis which is sudden and rapid and oten reach full development within a few hours but usually within three days. Guillain-Barre Syndrome and acute transverse myelitis are common diferential diagnosis of poliomyelitis [3]. his is the reason why it is necessary to investigate all cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis for polio. he deinite diagnosis for polio is isolation of the poliovirus from patient’s stools [1,2,3]. Polio is targeted for eradication. A region can consider certiication when all countries in the region demonstrate the absence of wild poliovirus transmission for at least three consecutive years Review Article An Evaluation of the Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) Surveillance System in Zvimba District, Mashonaland West Province; a Descriptive Cross Sectional Study Tapera Saravoye 1 , Margret Nyandoro 2 , Donewell Bangure 1 *, Notion Tafara Gombe 1 and Mufuta Tshimanga 1 1 Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe. 2 Department of Family Health, Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe *Corresponding author: Donewell Bangure, Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box A178, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe, Email: bangured@yahoo.com Received: March 10, 2015; Accepted: April 15, 2015; Published: April 20, 2015