Table 1 Key performance indicators for evaluating SDB performance

Proportion of dispatch alerts responded to by an SDB team

Process

100

A ‘dispatch alert’ is the final confirmatory alert that an SDB is required (the death is a suspected or confirmed EVD case and the family have consented for an SDB to take place). ‘Responded’ is defined as an SDB team being deployed to the location with the intention of following the SDB process.

Proportion of swabs performed

Process

100

For community deaths only: collection of an oral swab specimen to be sent to the laboratory for EVD testing.

Proportion of corpses secured

Process

100

For community deaths only: the corpse (except for the face) is sprayed with 0.5% chlorine and placed inside a disinfected, leakproof, opaque body bag.

Proportion of dwellings disinfected

Process

100

For community deaths only: the dwelling and environment where the deceased resided are disinfected by spraying with 0.5% chlorine. Soiled items and mattresses/bed mats are burnt (to be replaced at a later date). The deceased’s infected belongings are collected in a disinfected plastic bag to be buried with the body.

Proportion of dispatch alerts in which there was community and/or nonacceptance

Process

not defined

Community and/or family nonacceptance is defined as either the community or the family declining the SDB, or any behaviour from the community or the family to disrupt the SDB process. This includes withholding consent for an SDB, verbal or physical aggression or violence against the SDB team, occultation of the corpse and removal of the corpse from the body bag.

Proportion of EVD suspected/confirmed deaths for which safe burials were conducted

Output

80

A ‘safe burial’ is defined as:

▪ for ETC deaths: reception of a secured body and burial in a grave by, or supervised by, an SDB team.

▪ for community (including deaths in other health facilities) deaths: Collection of an oral swab specimen, securing of the body, disinfection of the environment, and burial in a grave by, or supervised by, an SDB team.

Proportion of dispatch alerts successfully responded to by an SDB team

Output

80

A ‘successful response’ is defined as:

▪ safe burial performed for confirmed cases with EVD status known on SDB team arrival; or

▪ body secured while testing results are pending, with safe burial performed if the EVD test comes back positive or release of the body to the family if the EVD test comes back negative; or

▪ safe burial performed for suspect cases with no EVD test result or for whom it is unfeasible to wait for test results

An ‘unsuccessful response’ is defined as:

▪ an SDB team did not respond to the dispatch alert

▪ a safe burial was not performed for a confirmed or suspected EVD death

Proportion of SDB responses completed within 24 h from time of alert

Output

80

Proportion of all SDB responses (successful and unsuccessful) for which the recorded time of dispatch alert and recorded end/time are within 24 h of each other.

Proportion of SDB responses completed within 72 h from time of alert

Output

100

Proportion of all SDB responses (successful and unsuccessful) for which the recorded time of dispatch alert and recorded end/time are within 72 h of each other.