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How Is Lebanon's Progress Towards Measles Elimination? Review of Surveillance Performance Indicators, 2013-2024.
Lina Chaito1,2, Pawel Stefanoff2, Hawraa Sweidan1,2
1Epidemiological Surveillance Program, Ministry of Public Health, Beirut 0127, Lebanon.
Epidemiologia (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 27, 2026
Summary
Lebanon
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health Surveillance
- Infectious Disease Control
Background:
- Lebanon's commitment to the World Health Organization's (WHO) measles elimination strategy (2012-2020).
- Need to analyze measles surveillance performance indicators for improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the performance of measles surveillance in Lebanon against WHO indicators.
- Identify specific areas for enhancing measles and rubella case detection and reporting.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of suspected measles and rubella cases (2013-2024).
- Assessment of notification rates, timeliness and completeness of investigations, and laboratory testing proportions.
- Calculation of mean proportions and standard deviations by year and province.
Main Results:
- 6581 suspected cases reported, with 66% from hospitals; outbreaks in 2013, 2018-2019, and 2023-2024.
- Timely investigation (72%) and adequate investigation (52%) showed variability.
- Laboratory testing performed in 62% of cases, indicating suboptimal sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- Lebanon's measles surveillance exhibits suboptimal sensitivity and inconsistent investigation completeness.
- Strengthening outpatient reporting and healthcare professional training are crucial for improving surveillance effectiveness.
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