- Recap
Recap: Digital Innovation and Pandemic Control (DIPC) – policy initiative 2023 in review
Re:publica 23: Equal, Digital, and Effective: Funding Digital Public Goods in the Health Space
On June 6, 2023, the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) jointly organized a panel discussion at Re:publica 2023 in Berlin, titled “Equal, Digital, and Effective: Funding Digital Public Goods in the Health Space”. The panel aimed to address the challenges and opportunities associated with funding digital public goods in the health sector, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, in light of the pandemic’s impact. Experts from organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA), UNICEF, and GIZ participated in discussions that revolved around reimagining global public goods and promoting private sector involvement and partnerships in advancing accessibility and innovation in digital health solutions.
Ghana: Charting Data Flows for better collaboration – Interoperability workshop in Ghana
The DIPC project, in collaboration with its implementing partner Digital Square, partnered with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing systems and workflows within Ghana’s immunization health sector. This included a multifaceted approach, including a desk review, consultations with ministry officials, and an inclusive online survey covering all 16 regions of the country. The exercise also included input from end users, particularly regional health managers, who highlighted the need for enhanced features and interventions. Notably, data exchange among systems emerged as the most commonly requested improvement during this ecosystem mapping initiative.
Malawi: vaccine delivery 2.0 – kicking off digitalization of vaccine delivery in Malawi
In February, officials from the Malawi Ministry of Health Digital Health Unit held a meeting with members of DIPC project to inaugurate the project in Malawi. DIPC intends to develop a better and enduring pandemic-prepared health systems by enhancing the immunization workflows. The DIPC project works closely with the Malawi´s Digital Health Unit to create documentation to support the country better understand the tools best designed to exchange data to meet their needs in the immunization health domain and aligning activities with the Digital Health Strategy of Malawi.
Peru: Mapping the digital health ecosystem for better use of health data
The Data Ecosystem Mapping workshop aimed to bring together various stakeholders from the public and private sectors in Peru, with the collaboration of the Ministry of Health (MINSA), the Data4Policy initiative, and GIZ’s Digital Innovation in Pandemic Control (DIPC), in partnership with the Open Data Institute (ODI). During the event, successful experiences of Data4Policy in the health context were shared, and it was analyzed how the ODI could contribute to strengthening the health data ecosystem in Peru. Through group work sessions, the participants identified areas for improvement and proposed concrete recommendations to optimize the distribution of vaccines in the country. The result was a collaboration that laid the foundations for improving vaccine delivery and promoting data sharing in the process.
Tanzania: Electronic Immunization Systems – Mapping the need for nationwide input
The process of gathering information to understand the different systems within the digital health landscape used to support immunization services initiated. Different stakeholders came together to collect and analyze relevant information and support the system selection within the project. The agreement was made thereafter to support the immunization system known as TiMR, which is being used by Ministry of Health (MoH). The system’s current gaps were subsequently addressed in a workshop held in Arusha. After the workshop to validate the system requirement as provided by MoH and to localize the immunization Digital Adaptation Kit (DAK), the plan has been submitted to the MoH and awaits approval.
Sierra Leone: National Digital Health Investment roadmap
The National Digital Health Investment roadmap is a crucial tool in Sierra Leone’s efforts to realize the objectives set out in the National Digital Health Strategy, with the overarching goal of advancing Universal Health Coverage.
This roadmap tackles challenges related to fragmented digital health initiatives, emphasizing coordinated and prioritized actions. It underscores the country’s existing commitment to digital health, highlighting strengths such as political support, governance structures, and current digital health projects and infrastructure, while also identifying gaps in areas like governance, regulation, funding, infrastructure, and health workforce digital literacy.
To address these gaps, stakeholders have collaboratively proposed recommendations integrated into a Result-Based Management framework. Innovative funding mechanisms, including budget allocations and public-private partnerships, are suggested to finance the plan, while clear roles for institutions, donors, and partners are defined to ensure effective implementation. The roadmap includes robust Monitoring and Evaluation mechanisms to monitor progress, and it recognizes the importance of ongoing coordination and sustainable funding for driving digital health innovation, particularly in areas like vaccine logistics, to enhance overall health outcomes in Sierra Leone.
Mexico: Regional Forum on Digital Transformation
The Regional Forum on Digital Transformation in Mexico City, organized by GIZ, convened international leaders and experts to explore the significance of digital transformation. Within this framework, DIPC hosted four panel discussions centered on digital health, highlighting how technology and data utilization can enhance global health security, bridge service gaps, and tackle unforeseen challenges.
The sessions covered various aspects, including the pivotal role of digital solutions in pandemic response, the challenges of integrating these tools into existing healthcare ecosystems, the imperative of training healthcare professionals in digital tools, the implementation of WHO SMART guidelines in Latin America for standardized digital healthcare solutions, and the critical need for interoperability and secure cross-border health data exchange through standardized formats and protocols. Collectively, these discussions underscored the global importance of digital health, promoting the integration of digital solutions into healthcare systems to strengthen healthcare sectors and safeguard the well-being of populations worldwide.
