Comparison of Routine Health Management Information System Versus Enhanced Inpatient Malaria Surveillance for Estimating the Burden of Malaria Among Children Admitted to Four Hospitals in Uganda

Arthur Mpimbaza Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Melody Miles Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Asadu Sserwanga Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Ruth Kigozi Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Humphrey Wanzira Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Denis Rubahika Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Sussann Nasr Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Bryan K. Kapella Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Steven S. Yoon Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Michelle Chang Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Adoke Yeka Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Sarah G. Staedke Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Moses R. Kamya Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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Grant Dorsey Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda; US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.14-0284
Volume/Issue:
Volume 92: Issue 1
Page(s):
18–21
Restricted access
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The primary source of malaria surveillance data in Uganda is the Health Management Information System (HMIS), which does not require laboratory confirmation of reported malaria cases. To improve data quality, an enhanced inpatient malaria surveillance system (EIMSS) was implemented with emphasis on malaria testing of all children admitted in select hospitals. Data were compared between the HMIS and the EIMSS at four hospitals over a period of 12 months. After the implementation of the EIMSS, over 96% of admitted children under 5 years of age underwent laboratory testing for malaria. The HMIS significantly overreported the proportion of children under 5 years of age admitted with malaria (average absolute difference = 19%, range = 8–27% across the four hospitals) compared with the EIMSS. To improve the quality of the HMIS data for malaria surveillance, the National Malaria Control Program should, in addition to increasing malaria testing rates, focus on linking laboratory test results to reported malaria cases.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Arthur Mpimbaza, Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, PO Box 6717, Kampala, Uganda. E-mail: arthurwakg@yahoo.com

Financial support: This publication was made possible through support provided by the President's Malaria Initiative, US Agency for International Development under the terms of Interagency Agreement 1U51CK000117 with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Authors' addresses: Arthur Mpimbaza, Adoke Yeka, and Moses R. Kamya, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, E-mails: arthurwakg@yahoo.com, yadoke@muucsf.org, and kamya@infocom.co.ug. Melody Miles, Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, E-mail: melody.miles@gatesfoundation.org. Asadu Sserwanga and Ruth Kigozi, Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda, E-mails: asserwanga@muucsf.org and rkigozi@muucsf.org. Humphrey Wanzira and Denis Rubahika, Uganda National Malaria Control Program, Kampala, Uganda, E-mails: wanzirah@yahoo.co and drubahika@yahoo.com. Sussann Nasr, US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, Luanda, Angola, E-mail: Snasr@usaid.gov. Bryan K. Kapella, US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, Kampala, Uganda, E-mail: bkapella@usaid.gov. Steven S. Yoon and Michelle Chang, US President's Malaria Initiative, Malaria Branch, Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, E-mails: say7@cdc.gov and aup6@cdc.gov. Sarah G. Staedke, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Kampala, Uganda, E-mail: sarah.staedke@lshtm.ac.uk. Grant Dorsey, University of California, San Francisco, CA, E-mail: gdorsey@medsfgh.ucsf.edu.

Copyright:
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2015
Received:
06 May 2014
|
Accepted:
12 Sep 2014
|
Published Online:
07 Jan 2015
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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