Integrated Food and Waterborne Diseases Geographic Information System (IFGIS)

Abstract

The issue on food and waterborne diseases is a large and spreading global pub- lic health problem. An integrated food chain surveillance system was suggested by the WHO to monitor food and waterborne disease, integrated with food monitoring data along the entire food chain; food, animals, humans. By monitoring animals, food, and humans, the burden of disease could be easily attributed to specific food categories. By integrating other institutions from the Department of Health and Department of Agriculture under one information system, monitoring of the different food sources for the presence of microbial agents is easily achieved. Major public health priorities are identified. Moreover, it allows easy identification of the cause by providing etiology-specific outputs. Using a GIS to plot cases of microbial agents of food and waterborne diseases together with data on different food sources, gives health workers and the public a much clearer understanding of the possible causes of the disease. Patterns and trends would be easier to see in a GIS, highlighting health priorities and speeding up policy making.