Author/Authors :
Amiri, Shahin Biotechnology Research Center - Medical Biotechnology Department - Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran , Haghdoost, Aliakbar HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center - and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance - Institute for Futures Studies in Health - Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran , Mostafavi. Ehsan Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics - Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases - Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran , Sharifi, Hamid HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center - and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance - Institute for Futures Studies in Health - Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran , Peykari, Niloofar Development of Research and Technology Center - Deputy of Research and Technology - Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran , Raeisi, Ahmad Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Ardakani, Mohammad Assai Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran , Asadi Lari, Mohsen Department of Epidemiology - School of Public Health - Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Soori, Hamid Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Ostovar, Afshin Osteoporosis Research Center - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Clinical Sciences Institute - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Eshrati, Babak Preventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center - Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Gouya, Mohammad Mehdi Center for Control of Communicable Diseases - Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran , Nasehi. Mahshid Department of Epidemiology - School of Public Health - Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Tabatabaei, Mehdi Health Promotion Research Center - Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran , Amirkhani, Manzar National Committee of COVID-19 Epidemiology - Deputy of Education - Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran , Eybpoosh, Sana Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics - Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases - Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract :
Background: Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in Iran,
the control and management of the epidemic were headed by the National Headquarter for the
Control of COVID-19 Epidemic through setting up different scientific committees, including the
COVID-19 National Epidemiology Committee. The present study reviews the missions, structures,
achievements, and challenges of the Epidemiology Committee.
Study design: A rapid review
Methods: All relevant reports, documents, guidelines, published literature, and surveillance data
related to the establishment, visions, missions, roles, activities, and outputs of the COVID-19
Epidemiology Committee were critically reviewed in this study.
Results: The efforts of the committee’s working groups may have impacted improvements in data
registration/usage, provincial data quality at provincial levels, and perception of the epidemic
situation in the provinces. The committees have also played role in informing the policies in different
stages of the epidemic through routine or problem-based data/evidence analyses, epidemic
investigations, and mathematical modeling.
Conclusions: The structure and experience gained by the committee can be used in similar
situations within and outside the country. To further improve the impacts of our activities, it is
essential to have effective interaction, collaboration, and data flow between the committee and a
broad range of organizations within and outside the Ministry of Health and Medical Education
