PAHO initiative to strengthen NCD surveillance: Rapid Mobile Phone Survey (RaMPS)

Abstract

Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and their Risk Factors (RFs) represent a significant burden of disease and disabilities worldwide. According to data from the WHO Global Health Estimates 2019, in the region of the Americas, NCDs are responsible for 5.8 million deaths (81% of total deaths), of which 34% are deaths in people between 30-70 years old. Additionally, NCD poses a high burden in the region since the Americas ranks high compared with the other WHO regions in many of the common NCDs/RFs, such as overweight and obesity, alcohol consumption, and insufficient physical activity.

The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) is committed to supporting countries to strengthen their national capacity on NCD surveillance, produce quality data and contribute to the use of data for policymaking. As part of this effort, PAHO has identified opportunities and strategies to produce data on NCDs to rapidly assess NCD policies and interventions using Rapid Mobile Phone Surveys (RaMPS) based on learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic. RaMPS have the potential to produce timely data on the implementation of the NCD Best Buys related to NCDs and their risk factors, supported by data on the population's behaviors, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding health and protective measures. RaMPS complements other NCD surveillance efforts and do not replace the implementation of household surveys. This document presents an overview of the initiative developed by PAHO to strengthen the surveillance of NCDs across the Region through the implementation of Rapid Mobile Phone Surveys.