Lesotho Pioneers WHO’s AFFLU Surveillance Platform to Boost Health Data Systems

The AFFLU platform integrates real-time data analytics and enables seamless data sharing across national and international health systems.

Lesotho has become the first country in the WHO African Region to pilot the Afro Influenza (AFFLU) surveillance platform, a pioneering health initiative set to transform the nation’s capacity for respiratory disease surveillance. Designed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a regional adaptation of the Eastern Mediterranean’s EMFLU system, AFFLU is a dynamic, digital platform that collects, analyzes, and manages both aggregate and case-based data on influenza and other respiratory viruses (ORVs).

A Technological Leap in Surveillance Capabilities

The AFFLU platform integrates real-time data analytics and enables seamless data sharing across national and international health systems. It consolidates epidemiological and virological data, allowing health authorities to identify outbreaks earlier and respond more efficiently. Importantly, it also ensures data quality through standardized protocols and streamlined workflows, thereby improving the accuracy and consistency of surveillance data across all levels of Lesotho's health infrastructure.

Strategic Vision and Integration Potential

Muza Tendai, an Information Systems Specialist from WHO AFRO, emphasized the platform’s long-term impact:

“This surveillance platform will strengthen the country’s respiratory disease surveillance and enable integration capabilities with other surveillance systems and datasets. It will provide real-time and advanced data analytics capabilities, customized to regional and country-specific contexts.”

AFFLU’s flexible framework supports integration with existing national health databases, thereby reducing redundancy and ensuring that health interventions are informed by the most current and comprehensive data available.

Ground-Level Training and Rollout

To guarantee the effective deployment of AFFLU, WHO has conducted hands-on training for 18 end-users from Lesotho’s health sector. These trained personnel will operate from four key surveillance sites—spanning both Maseru and outlying districts—where they will be responsible for data entry, validation, and ongoing monitoring. This capacity-building initiative is central to sustaining the platform and ensuring local ownership of the technology.

National Enthusiasm and Policy Commitment

Dr. Lieketseng Petcane, speaking on behalf of the Director General of Health Services at the Lesotho Ministry of Health, lauded the country’s opportunity to be a continental trailblazer:

“It is exciting that we are the first pilot country of this surveillance platform in our region. COVID-19 taught us many lessons, and diagnostics were a major challenge during that time. It revealed the gaps and areas that we needed to address. This platform will strengthen our surveillance and response. This will boost our human resource capabilities as well.”

Her remarks underscore a broader national strategy to strengthen post-pandemic resilience and respond swiftly to future public health threats.

Impact on Early Detection and Outbreak Response

From an operational standpoint, the platform is already anticipated to improve outbreak detection and accelerate response times. Malefane Thamae, Maseru District Surveillance Officer, explained:

“This will help us in the early detection of an outbreak, hence improved Rapid Response to affected areas. It will provide our office with rapid access to countermeasures, such as the provision of appropriate vaccines.”

The use of AFFLU could dramatically shorten the timeline between the detection of a respiratory disease signal and the mobilization of emergency responses, thus potentially saving lives.

Implications for Regional Health Systems

Lesotho’s implementation of the AFFLU platform serves as a model for other African countries contemplating similar upgrades to their surveillance infrastructure. The pilot results and operational feedback will guide regional customization, paving the way for wider adoption and continental harmonization of disease surveillance practices.

A Landmark for Public Health in Africa

As Lesotho charts a new course in digital epidemiology, its embrace of the AFFLU surveillance platform not only elevates national health monitoring but also marks a significant milestone for the African continent. This initiative blends technology, training, and policy into a forward-thinking model of health resilience—offering a blueprint for regional preparedness in an age of emerging and re-emerging respiratory threats.