Angola’s Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO, is conducting a national workshop in Luanda to enhance electronic surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases and improve monitoring of post-vaccination adverse events.
April 2026- As part of World Immunisation Week and African Immunisation Week, Angola’s Ministry of Health, through the National Directorate of Public Health (DNSP), in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO), is hosting a national training workshop on electronic surveillance in Luanda from 22 to 27 April.
The workshop is centred on the use of eSurv Companion, a digital platform designed to improve surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases and strengthen the monitoring of adverse events following immunisation.
This year’s global observance is being marked under the theme, “For every generation, vaccines work,” highlighting the importance of vaccination across all age groups.
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Worldwide, vaccines are estimated to have saved more than 150 million lives over the past five decades, offering protection against diseases including measles, polio, hepatitis and pneumonia. Despite these achievements, challenges remain, with rising measles cases, vaccination coverage gaps and a growing number of children who have not received even their first vaccine dose.
In Angola, concerns remain high due to the continued circulation of type 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus, underlining the urgent need for stronger and more responsive epidemiological surveillance systems.
Speaking at the opening session, National Director of Public Health Dr. Helga Freitas stated that training remains a strategic priority for the government in reinforcing the national surveillance framework. She noted that the initiative is intended to improve disease monitoring and support faster, more effective public health responses through real-time data.
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The programme also aims to strengthen technical expertise in the use of eSurv Companion, build a network of trained professionals for knowledge sharing, and promote standardised surveillance procedures for diseases such as polio, measles, yellow fever and neonatal tetanus.
According to Dr Erna Van Goor, Head of the WHO Emergency Preparedness and Response team in Angola, “vaccines work for all generations. However, they only have a sustainable impact when supported by effective surveillance systems, quality data and trained professionals on the ground”. She also emphasised that tools such as eSurv Companion are essential for improving data quality, speeding up case reporting and strengthening the rapid response to public health threats.
