In 1968, the 21st World Health Assembly described surveillance as the systematic collection and use of epidemiological information for the planning, implementation and assessment of disease control. In the Northern Territory, the Notifiable Diseases Act (1985) requires all medical practitioners and pathology services to notify the diseases listed under the Act to the Director, Disease Control Centre/Communicable Diseases Centre, Northern Territory Department of Health and Community Services via their representatives in each district of the NT (Communicable Disease Officers, CDOs). Notification under the Act applies to all patients who are known or suspected to be suffering from a notifiable condition.
To better achieve these surveillance objectives the Disease Control directorate will introduce a number of changes to the NT communicable diseases surveillance system in 1995.
The ultimate aim of communicable disease data collection is information for public health action aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality from infectious disease by early case detection and treatment and the implementation of control measures to prevent further transmission.