[Difficulties in the epidemiological surveillance of measles in Africa: exemplified by the Ivory Coast]. / Difficultés de la surveillance épidémiologique de la rougeole en Afrique: exemple de la Côte d'Ivoire.

In tropical areas measles cases often are under-reported but the authors comment here two epidemics which had at first been considered as outbreaks of measles but were not. The first epidemic resembled a Chikungunya virus outbreak with important rashes, hyperthermia and pain attacks and was due to Igbo-Ora arbovirus. In the second epidemic children were having rashes with hyperthermia and adenopathy evoking rubella. The authors consider the possibility of over-reporting in view of the surveillance of measles, the target-disease in EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunization). This hypothesis is confirmed by the distribution of reported cases at national level with a high rate of out-season cases and among adults.

[Setting-up a system of health statistics collection in a rural environment in the Ivory Coast]. / Mise en place d'un système de recueil de statistiques sanitaires en milieu rural ivoirien.

In order to improve the sanitary data collection system from the rural Health Centers, Ivory-Coast has modified it in acting upon the three stages of collection. At the level of rural Health Centers, it has been created, from observations and data collected in a sample of 5 centers, a new classification of diseases including 128 items allowing all male and female nurses to classify 94% of the patients examined. At intermediary level, their monthly reports are collected and checked by the chief Medical Practitioner of the Rural Health Sector, who is responsible for all medicine not pertaining to hospital centers. At central level, computerised data treatment and exploitation make possible national data spreading and back-up during the third month after the writing of their report by the nurse.