Public health surveillance systems in South Africa are crucial for monitoring infectious diseases and other public health threats. However, their cost-effectiveness remains a subject of debate. A randomized field trial was conducted to assess the performance and cost-effectiveness of public health surveillance systems. The study used statistical models to analyse data collected from both intervention and control groups. The analysis revealed that a specific methodological approach significantly reduced operational costs by 10 per case reported, with an estimated uncertainty range of ±5 (95% CI). This study provides valuable insights into the cost-effectiveness of public health surveillance systems in South Africa. Further research should be conducted to validate these findings and explore potential improvements in system design. Public Health Surveillance, Field Trial, Cost-Effectiveness, Epidemiology
Motsai et al. (Fri,) studied this question.