Qualitative review of digital surveillance challenges for dengue in western India

BackgroundWhile digital surveillance systems are being widely deployed for infectious diseases monitoring, yet their potential remains underutilized in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Dengue, a significant global public health concern is threatening over half of the world’s population and would benefit from the strengthening of supporting monitoring systems. India contributes roughly to one-third of global dengue cases, making it an important context to examine and mitigate informational barriers to digital surveillance. This paper investigates the informational challenges inherent in digital surveillance systems in India, where despite extensive digitization efforts, the results remain limited due to resources constraints, for example of the total sanctioned Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) district public health laboratories, only 13% are functional and four (out of 30+) districts lacking sentinel hospitals in the state which is our empirical site.MethodsBased on a qualitative research design, an empirical qualitative study was conducted between (2023 and 2025) in two high-burden districts in western India. Data were collected through 57 semi-structured interviews, direct observations, and extensive document review across multiple levels from the facility to district, engaged with dengue surveillance processes. Thematic analysis identified challenges in the current information workflow and the use of digital systems.ResultsKey challenges identified were identified at levels of macro structures and micro processes, and their mutual influences. Challenges include: (i) fragmented information flows at multiple levels, with the separation of biomedical and social determinants of dengue, operation of dual and overlapping programmes of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IHIP-IDSP) and the National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP); (ii) field staff facing community resistance, inconsistent laboratory protocols, reporting pressures, and reliance on informal communication that subverts rigid bureaucratic systems; (iii) emphasis on procedural targets over data quality, undermining the value of data for action taking.ConclusionA clear gap was identified between the digital data infrastructures and field surveillance realities. Strengthening socio-technical interoperability, such as through harmonizing outbreak criteria across programmes and embedding socio-environmental determinants into routine surveillance could enhance dengue early warning and response.