Applying a systems thinking approach to evaluating the effectiveness of Africa's foodborne disease surveillance systems.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Foodborne diseases (FBDs) pose a large public health challenge worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where limited infrastructure, weak regulatory frameworks, and insufficient cross-sector collaboration hinder effective surveillance and prevention. While previous efforts in Africa have focused on risk identification and management training, these approaches often fail to consider the interconnected nature of risk factors, transmission routes, and systemic barriers. As a result, interventions have had limited impact. Addressing this issue requires a systems approach that accounts for the biological, social, and economic complexities of FBD surveillance.

Methods

We applied the "Five Phase Process of Systems Thinking and Modelling" appr

SUBMITTER: Thystrup C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12462454 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature