Outbreak Toolkit
Providing the tools to investigate disease outbreaks, collect data and guide response activities
About the Outbreak Toolkit project
Objectives of the toolkit project
The Outbreak Toolkit offers a web-accessible deployment package for field investigators, with the following objectives:- To provide a set of pre-defined and adaptable tools to support capabilities in the field for collecting, analysing, reporting, and interpreting data and information during outbreaks - leveraging new technologies.
- To reinforce epidemiological principles and practices by providing standards, templates and micro-learning tutorials to support outbreak investigation.
The Outbreak Toolkit aims to assist epidemiologists and investigators in the field to conduct detailed outbreak investigations by minimizing time spent researching and locating key documents and arming staff with critical information needed to guide investigation design, data collection and response activities. It supports early evaluation of the cause, severity and risk of the extension of the outbreak by providing standardised tools for data collection and facilitating comparability and sharing of data during outbreak investigations.
Background
Starting in 2017, primarily under the leadership of the Regional Office for Africa, substantive progress was made on the scoping and initiating the development of several high priority tools and resources. An encouraging level of demand was expressed during consultation meetings with WHO Country Offices, Ministries of Health and select partners in the region.
The potential benefit beyond the African Region was quickly realised, and in 2018, the WHO Health Emergencies Programme opted to globalize the project, providing dedicated staff for global coordination, and receiving support from all WHO Regional Offices. The target users of the outbreak toolkit are field epidemiologists and field investigators, Rapid response teams, FETPs, national, and international public and health partners, Ministries of Health, national public health institutes, non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies, and the three levels of WHO.
Our Team
Dr. Marie-Amélie Degail Chabrat
Stephen Leshan Koyie
Contact Us
To contact the WHO Outbreak Toolkit team, send a message to: