Abstract

Infectious disease surveillance remains a critical public health priority in developing countries, where weak health systems, limited infrastructure, and resource constraints often hinder timely detection and response. Mobile health (mHealth) applications have emerged as innovative tools to support disease monitoring, data collection, and communication in real time, especially in hard-to-reach and resource-limited settings. This systematic review examines the current landscape, effectiveness, and limitations of mHealth applications for infectious disease surveillance in developing countries, synthesizing findings from peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2022. The review includes studies focusing on various infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, Ebola, COVID-19, and dengue fever. Data sources were retrieved from major scientific databases, and a PRISMA-compliant methodology was used to ensure rigorous selection and analysis. The findings indicate that mHealth tools have significantly improved timeliness, accuracy, and coverage of disease reporting, particularly through the use of SMS-based reporting systems, smartphone-based data entry applications, and GPS-enabled tools for outbreak mapping. Furthermore, many of these applications integrate decision support systems, real-time dashboards, and offline capabilities, which are essential for areas with intermittent connectivity. Despite promising outcomes, the review identifies several challenges, including inconsistent user training, technological literacy gaps, data privacy concerns, and lack of interoperability with national health information systems. Additionally, sustainability remains a concern, as many initiatives are donor-driven with limited government integration and long-term funding. Notably, community health workers and frontline health personnel played a pivotal role in the adoption and scale-up of these tools. This review highlights the transformative potential of mHealth in strengthening disease surveillance systems in developing countries. However, it emphasizes the need for policies that promote integration, scalability, and sustainability. Future mHealth developments should prioritize user-centered design, cross-platform interoperability, and inclusion of predictive analytics to support early outbreak detection and response.