Epidemiology of Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Displacement Settings: Surveillance Gaps and Community-Based Solutions in Refugee Camps

Authors: Alessio Romano, Giulia Bianchi, Marco De Luca, Laura Ricci, Antonio Greco

This study looked at how well disease outbreaks are tracked in five refugee camps across Sudan, Syria, and South Sudan. Most outbreaks were reported late—over 70% took more than 72 hours to report—leading to high death rates from diseases like cholera and hepatitis E. Many camps didn’t have early warning systems or ways for the community to report health issues. While community health workers were present in some camps, most weren’t trained to detect outbreaks. A mobile app pilot helped speed up reporting by nearly 40%. The study suggests that training health workers, expanding early warning systems, and using mobile tools could greatly improve how fast and effectively outbreaks are managed.