GUIDE / IHIP-S-FORM
IHIP S Form (Suspected Cases): Who Fills It and How
The S form is where sub-centre health workers report suspected cases by symptoms, before any doctor or lab is involved. This guide explains who fills it, what the IDSP syndromes are, and how to report cleanly.
- Official name
- "S" = Suspected Cases (NCDC IDSP page)
- Filled by
- Health workers at the Health Sub Centre (IHIP manuals)
- Basis
- Presenting symptoms (syndromic surveillance)
- Entry channel
- Desktop or IHIP Android app
- Legacy paper form
- "Reporting Format for Syndromic Surveillance" (IDSP)
- S reporting rate
- 78.31%, 1 Apr 2025 to 31 Mar 2026 (NCDC)
IDSP collects disease data at three levels. The S form is the first and widest of them. NCDC describes the three forms as "S" (Suspected Cases), "P" (Presumptive Cases) and "L" (laboratory Confirmed Cases), filled by health workers, clinicians and laboratory staff respectively. The S form belongs to the health worker at the Health Sub Centre (upswasthya kendra); a 2023 journal article names the ANM (sahayak nurse midwife).
Because the S form is based on symptoms, not diagnosis, it can pick up an unusual rise in fever or loose stools days before lab results exist. That early signal is the whole point. This page is an independent guide written for health workers and supervisors. It is not an official IHIP or NCDC page, and all data entry happens only on the official IHIP portal or the official app.
What "Suspected Cases" means
IDSP training material defines three case levels. A suspect case is identified by presenting symptoms. A presumptive case is a diagnosis "made on the typical history and clinical examination by a medical officer". A confirmed case is a "clinical diagnosis with positive laboratory identification".
The IDSP Form Guidelines call this first level syndromic surveillance: "surveillance of diseases based on the presenting symptom/s". So on the S form you do not write "typhoid" or "dengue". You record the syndrome you see, such as fever with rash or loose watery stools. The doctor's diagnosis goes on the P form, and the test result on the L form. Our S, P and L comparison shows the three side by side.
Who fills the S form
On IHIP, the manuals map the S form to Health Sub Centre users, who can report from a desktop or from the IHIP mobile app. IHIP usage reports even list "S Form (Desktop)" and "S Form (Mobile)" separately. NHM Assam's IDSP guideline describes "syndromic reporting (S-form) in IDSP-IHIP portal in real-time basis through Android Mobile App". A 2023 journal article (IJFCM) also describes the S-Form as filled by ANMs from Sub Centres.
The older paper Form S was wider. Its header read "(To be filled by Health Worker, Village Volunteer, Non-formal Practitioners)", and the Form Guidelines said the health worker could also collect information from the AWW (anganwadi worker), village volunteers and non-formal providers, under supervision of the PHC Medical Officer. Our suggestion: keep listening to ASHA and anganwadi contacts for early information, even though the health worker does the entry.
हिंदी में सारांश
यह स्वतंत्र गाइड है, सरकारी पेज नहीं। IHIP में S फॉर्म का आधिकारिक नाम Suspected Cases (संदिग्ध मामले) है। इसे उपस्वास्थ्य केंद्र के स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ता (जैसे ANM) भरते हैं, कंप्यूटर से या IHIP एंड्रॉयड ऐप से। S फॉर्म में बीमारी का नाम नहीं, लक्षण (सिंड्रोम) दर्ज होता है। पुराने IDSP Form S में ये सिंड्रोम थे: 7 दिन से कम बुखार, 7 दिन से ज़्यादा बुखार, खाँसी, 2 हफ्ते से कम दस्त, 4 हफ्ते से कम पीलिया, 15 साल से कम उम्र में AFP, और असामान्य लक्षण जिनसे मृत्यु या भर्ती हुई। मौजूदा IHIP सूची प्रकाशित नहीं मिली, इसलिए अपनी स्क्रीन देखें। मामले उसी दिन दर्ज करें, उम्र और मृत्यु सही भरें, और एक ही गाँव में कई मिलते-जुलते मामले दिखें तो MO और DSO को तुरंत बताएँ। 2025-26 में S फॉर्म रिपोर्टिंग दर 78.31% रही।
Syndromes on the IDSP Form S (published list)
The list below is copied from the legacy IDSP paper Form S, as published by IDSP. The exact syndrome dropdown on the current IHIP S form has not been published in the manuals we could read, so your screen may group or word things differently. Use this list to understand the logic, and follow what your IHIP screen shows.
| No. | Syndrome (legacy Form S wording) | Sub-categories on the form |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fever < 7 days | Only Fever; With Rash; With Bleeding; With Daze/Semiconsciousness/Unconsciousness |
| 2 | Fever > 7 days | < 3 weeks; > 3 weeks |
| 3 | Cough with or without fever | None |
| 4 | Loose Watery Stools of Less Than 2 Weeks Duration | With some/much dehydration; with no dehydration; with blood in stool |
| 5 | Jaundice cases of Less Than 4 Weeks Duration | None |
| 6 | Acute Flaccid Paralysis Cases in Less Than 15 Years of Age | None |
| 7 | Unusual Symptoms Leading to Death or Hospitalization that do not fit into the above | None |
The paper form counted cases and deaths in two age columns, under 5 years and over 5 years. Row 7 is easy to overlook but important: it is the catch-all for anything strange. For the doctor-level list of diseases, see IDSP diseases list.
A simple S form routine at the sub-centre
The steps below are a practical routine based on the manuals and field practice, not an official IHIP procedure. Screen names on your portal or app may differ.
- Sign in on the official IHIP portal or the official IHIP app with your own sub-centre ID. Login problems are covered in IHIP login help.
- Collect what you saw during home visits, clinics and calls from ASHAs and anganwadi workers.
- For each person, decide the syndrome from symptoms only. Do not guess the disease.
- Enter cases on the day you see them where possible. IHIP is built for near-real-time entry; the P form manual, for example, expects data every day.
- Record deaths that fit a syndrome, and use the "unusual symptoms" category for anything that does not fit.
- Check the entries once before you submit, especially age group and dates.
- If you see a cluster (several similar cases in one village or ward), do not wait for the weekly view: tell your MO and the DSO, and raise an Event Alert if your ID allows it.
When S form data should ring an alarm
The IHIP Event Alert and Outbreak Investigation manual says health workers can raise Event Alerts through the IHIP mobile app. The older IDSP training manual for surveillance officers gives example trigger levels that show what "unusual" looks like:
- Fever: more than 2 similar cases in a village (1,000 population).
- Acute watery diarrhoea: more than 10 houses with diarrhoea in a village or ward, or one severe dehydration or death in a child under 5.
- Jaundice: more than 2 cases in different houses per 1,000 population.
- AFP: "Even a single case of AFP reported will trigger the outbreak investigation."
These triggers come from a 2008-era training module, so treat them as older guidance and check your state's current instructions. The full alert process is explained in outbreak reporting in IDSP.
Common S form mistakes
| Mistake | Why it matters | Better practice |
|---|---|---|
| Writing a diagnosis instead of a syndrome | Mixes S data with P data | Record symptoms; leave diagnosis to the MO |
| Saving up a week of cases for one sitting | Delays signals in a near-real-time system | Enter on the day, or as soon as possible |
| Wrong age group | The legacy form split counts into under 5 and over 5 | Check age before submitting |
| Skipping deaths | Deaths are a key outbreak signal | Record deaths with the syndrome |
| Ignoring the "unusual" category | New or rare events get missed | Use it and tell your MO |
| Using someone else's ID | Data lands under the wrong facility | Use only your own ID |
Never put patient names or phone numbers in free-text remarks or screenshots you share outside the portal.
How well is the S form reported?
NCDC's IDSP page gives reporting rates for 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026: S form 78.31%, P form 82.01%, L form 83.40%. For 2025 it lists 184,895 S form reporting units, of which 77% reported. The S form has the most reporting units of the three, and the lowest reporting rate. Every sub-centre that reports regularly helps close that gap.
Performance is still tracked week by week even though entry is near-real-time. The NHM Assam guideline, for example, labels performance as "Weekly Reporting" for S, P and L forms. Week timing is explained in our IHIP reporting schedule guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the S form in IHIP?
The S form is the Suspected Cases form of IDSP on IHIP. It records cases based on presenting symptoms (syndromes), not on a doctor's diagnosis or a lab test. It is filled by health workers at Health Sub Centres, from a desktop or the IHIP Android app, and gives the earliest signal of a possible outbreak.
Who fills the S form in IDSP?
On IHIP the S form is mapped to Health Sub Centre users; a 2023 journal article names ANMs. The older paper Form S was "to be filled by Health Worker, Village Volunteer, Non-formal Practitioners", with information also coming from anganwadi workers, under the supervision of the PHC Medical Officer. The doctor-level form is the P form.
Which syndromes are on the S form?
The published legacy IDSP Form S lists fever under 7 days (only fever, with rash, with bleeding, with altered consciousness), fever over 7 days, cough, loose watery stools under 2 weeks, jaundice under 4 weeks, AFP under 15 years, and unusual symptoms leading to death or hospitalisation. The current IHIP dropdown has not been published, so follow your screen.
Can I fill the S form on mobile?
Yes. The IHIP manuals and the NHM Assam IDSP guideline describe S form reporting through the IHIP Android mobile app, and usage reports count S Form (Mobile) separately from S Form (Desktop). Use only the app offered through the official portal, and sign in with your own sub-centre ID.
How often should S form data be entered?
IHIP is designed for near-real-time, case-based entry, so enter cases on the day you see them where possible. Performance is still reviewed weekly, on the IDSP Monday to Sunday week. Older paper rules asked sub-centres to send Form S to the PHC by Monday; that is historical guidance from the paper system.
What should I do if I see many similar cases in one village?
Report them on the S form and also tell your Medical Officer and DSO straight away. Health workers can raise an Event Alert through the IHIP mobile app, according to the Event Alert manual. Older IDSP guidance treated even more than 2 similar fever cases in a village of 1,000 as a trigger to check.
Sources: IDSP legacy Form S · IDSP Form Guidelines · IDSP Module 5: case definitions and trigger levels · IHIP Event Alert and Outbreak Investigation manual · NHM Assam IDSP operational guideline 2024-26. Checked 16 October 2026. Portals and manuals change: confirm on the official site or with your district surveillance unit.