The Data Processing Agreement from the Norwegian Red Cross defines the responsibilities related to data protection between Norwegian Red Cross (as hosting Nyss) and National Societies/partners (as implementing partners) in relation to use of the Nyss platform.

Recent large-scale epidemics and pandemics have demonstrated that it takes an inclusive and collaborative effort engaging communities to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to significant infectious disease threats and minimize their effects.

Learn about the timeline for when the first case of COVID-19 was detected by community volunteers through CBS in Somaliland using the Nyss platform.

Since May 2018, Ururka Bisha Cas (the Red Crescent Society in Somaliland, SRCS) has been active in community based surveillance (CBS), aiming at early detection and response to potential outbreaks. In rural Somaliland, infrastructure and access to health care is poor, and giving community based volunteers the means to alert when someone is sick with symptoms of epidemic-prone diseases is of vital importance to detect and respond to outbreaks. In May 2019, there was an increase in reports of diarrhoea coming from communities. Thanks to the reports from volunteers, SRCS detected the increase early and were able to alert the Ministry of Health and Development (MoHD) and respond.

CBS Platform Alert Triggering Rapid Response to Scarlet Fever Outbreak in Togdheer region, Somaliland, November 2018

This review aims to map software tools that can be used for CBS in both community health programs and emergency settings and demonstrate their use cases.