What is Surveillance

• Surveillance is derived from the French ‘Sur’ (over) ‘veiller’ (to watch) – hence it literally means ‘to watch over’.
• Public health surveillance is an on-going and systemic health data collection, compilation, analysis and interpretation for public health action.
• Public health action can be:-
• Responding
• Planning
• Evaluation
• Policy making
• Public health surveillance’s main function is to serve as an “early warning system” – providing timely information needed for action.