Early warning systems are essential in order to respond promptly to emerging diseases and deteriorating conditions. Typically the early warning system will be in addition to regular surveillance mechanisms, and will track up to 10 priority conditions (e.g. cholera, dengue, Ebola virus disease, kala-azar, malaria, severe acute respiratory infection) by gathering specific information from selected facilities (sentinel sites) .
Routine health information systems and data flow are usually disrupted during emergencies and often require adaptation to reflect the emergency needs and capacities.
Share the data and promote the use of this information at local, district and national levels. If health managers do not have the time or analytical skills to review the data, consult the lead monitoring and evaluation agency for support. There is no point collecting data if it does not or is not used to inform action.

• The RMNCAH/CAH working group cooperates with the health cluster lead (and the health cluster information management working group) to improve health information services for child and adolescent health and share information.
• Agree on neonatal, child, and adolescent health indicators to include in the health information system.
• Adapt or develop a health information system that is suitable and appropriate for the context and the emergency.
• Adapt or develop a disease early warning alert and response system to detect and respond to epidemic-prone communicable disease outbreaks.
• The lead agency analyses and interprets health surveillance information and disseminates it to all partners and stakeholders (including the community) in a regular and timely way.
• Use surveillance information supplementary data, such as surveys and health facility assessments, promptly to guide decision-making for health programs.
• Take adequate precautions and clearly stipulate actions for the protection of data to guarantee the rights and safety of individuals, reporting units, and/or populations.

• The RMNCAH/CAH working group provides leadership to the health cluster to improve the health information system (including early warning systems) and regularly disseminates reports to other partners.
• Early warning surveillance reports received from health facilities each week:
• 90% of health facilities
• Regular production of an overall health information report by the lead health actor. This report addresses CAH priorities and includes analysis and interpretation of epidemiological data disaggregated by age, as well as coverage and use of health services.

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¹⁴ The WHO Early Warning and Response System (EWARS) is available online or can be ordered in a box (EWARS in a box) (30).