What is the GERMS-SA Key Findings report?

The GERMS-SA Key Findings report is a summary of the main results from the 2024 Annual Surveillance Review, which is published on the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) website. It highlights key trends and recommendations from South Africa’s national laboratory-based surveillance programme monitoring bacterial, fungal, and parasitic diseases of public health importance.

Why does this report matter?

It provides essential evidence to inform public health action, including vaccination strategies, antimicrobial resistance, and the management of opportunistic infections.

How did this report come about?

The report is based on data collected through the GERMS-SA surveillance programme, which marked 21 years of national laboratory surveillance in 2024. Laboratories nationwide submit clinical isolates for detailed testing at NICD reference laboratories, while enhanced sentinel sites collect patient-level clinical data. As the only programme of its kind in Africa with this combined approach, GERMS-SA integrates and analyses these data annually to inform policy, programme decisions, and the published findings.

What was your role in the development of this latest report?  

As head of GERMS-SA, I coordinate contributions from the NICD reference laboratories, synthesise the findings, and oversee timely dissemination to stakeholders.

Why should people read this article?

It highlights key priorities for improving health outcomes, including early diagnosis, better management of opportunistic infections, expanded HIV testing with timely treatment initiation and sustained adherence, improved access to optimal therapies such as flucytosine-containing regimens, and strengthening of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).

What impact do you hope this article will have on public health policy and healthcare access?

We hope the article strengthens action across the health system by improving childhood vaccination coverage and reducing vaccine-preventable diseases. It also aims to encourage routine HIV testing of hospitalised patients, with timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy, particularly given the increased risk and severity of certain infections in people living with HIV. In addition, we emphasise the importance of laboratories submitting isolates, which are critical for the NICD reference laboratories to generate the data needed to inform public health policy and practice.

Dr Vanessa Quan is the head of the GERMS-SA at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

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