Enhancing Decision Support for Vector-Borne Disease Control Programs--The Disease Data Management System.

Data is at the core of any successful vector-borne disease control or elimination activity. At the early stages of control, monitoring data can help prioritize limited funding and resources to maximize impact. During the pre-elimination and elimination phases, surveillance data itself becomes the primary intervention by quickly identifying persistent transmission [1]. In addition, it has been identified that spatial decision-support tools will be crucial to integrate with health information systems (HIS) as countries strive for elimination [2]. The Disease Data Management System (DDMS) is a tool designed to meet the data management and decision-support needs of vector-borne disease control programs as they transition through control to elimination. The development and functionality of the DDMS has been described elsewhere [3], and particular advantages and disadvantages are highlighted in Box 1. Here, we describe the implementation and impact of the system in disease-endemic countries, user feedback, and future challenges.