Basic PE Principles:

• PE is an approach to epidemiology including active surveillance, conducted by professionals, that is sensitive to and benefits the community

• PE is an interactive dialogue conducted within the community, combining scientific and traditional information with the aid of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools that allows for discovery by both interviewers and the community.

• PE is flexible, semi-structured and adaptable to changing situations. Data from multiple sources is rapidly analyzed for quick feedback and response.

• PE is founded on equal partnership with mutual respect and trust encouraging positive attitude to enable community empowerment