摘要:From May to June 1999, 3,920 ethnic Albanians from Kosovo arrived in Australia as part ofOperation Safe Haven. These people were evacuated from refugee camps in the former YugoslavRepublic of Macedonia. Initial processing in Australia occurred at East Hills Reception Centre,and accommodation for the duration of stay was provided in eight Haven Centres in five States.The arrival of a large number of refugees in a short time frame is unprecedented in Australia. Ahealth surveillance system was developed and critical health data were collected to assess healthstatus and needs, plan care, monitor for potential outbreaks of communicable diseases, trackservice use, to meet international reporting requirements and document our response to this crisis. In this article the health surveillance system is evaluated and suggestions are offered for theformulation of specific guidelines necessary for health surveillance in acute settings