Community-based surveillance | Community Based Surveillance

Learn how the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies use community-based surveillance to contain outbreaks before they spread, saving lives and preventing larger health crises.

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CBS

Community-based surveillance (CBS) is the systematic detection and reporting of events of public health significance within a community by community members.

By allowing for volunteers from the communities to report on health situations we can ensure that the right help is provided, in the right place and at the right time.

NEW! Interim CBS guidance on mpox

In August 2024, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared public health emergencies over a large epidemic of mpox - MPXV clade I in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and several other African countries.

Suggested interim guidance for the use of community-based surveillance in the context of mpox is now available on our website under resources!

Access the Interim guidance on the use of CBS for mpox here

Red Cross and Red Crescent Implementations of Community-based surveillance

Is your National Society implementing CBS and you aren't on the map? Please let us know!