The Public Health and Disease Surveillance Directorate (PHDS) serves as a cornerstone of Kibong’oto Infectious Diseases Hospital (KIDH), dedicated to safeguarding population health through integrated public health services, disease surveillance, and emergency preparedness. The Directorate coordinates activities that strengthen early detection, response, and prevention of infectious and non-infectious diseases, ensuring timely interventions that protect both patients and the wider community.
The Directorate is composed of four key sections:
- Public Health Laboratory (KPHL): A state-of-the-art Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) facility providing advanced diagnostic, reference testing, and research services for infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging pathogens. The laboratory supports national and regional surveillance programs through high-quality testing, quality assurance, and capacity building for laboratory networks across Tanzania. It provides training and fellowships to health care providers, and biomedical scientists. It implements a comprehensive Quality Management System, and its procedures have been ISO 15189 accredited by SADCAS since 2017. The laboratory is equipped with sophisticated phenotypic and molecular diagnostic platforms, including PCR (conventional, real-time, and digital PCR), sequencing technologies, immunoassays, chemistry analyzers, hematology analyzers, and HLA typing capabilities. The laboratory also houses biobanking services and has capacity to house up to 47,000 litres of biospecimens. The lab is currently transitioning to tuberculosis reference laboratory
- Environmental Health Services: This section focuses on promoting a safe and healthy environment within the hospital and surrounding communities. The section maintains environmental standards that prevent the spread of infections. Its main roles include waste management, water quality monitoring, vector and pest control, environmental sanitation and vaccination, ensuring compliance with national health and safety standards. The section operates two state-of-the-art, high-technology incinerators that support effective waste management and address biosafety and biosecurity concerns.
- Community Health Services: This section is responsible for strengthening community-based disease surveillance, health education, and health promotion activities. It works closely with national and international community stakeholders to increase awareness, encourage preventive health behaviors, and enhance early disease reporting and response at the community level. The section also provides technical expertise on chronic respiratory diseases such as silicosis.
- Emergency Preparedness and Response Services: This unit leads efforts to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies, including outbreaks, pandemics, and natural disasters. It ensures readiness through risk assessment, training, simulation exercises, and coordination with local and national emergency response systems.
