The effects of global climate change are felt locally across a broad range of health domains, including vulnerability to extreme heat, food security and nutrition, climate sensitive infectious diseases, and emergency response and preparedness. Based on examples from The Health Information System Program (HISP), we will discuss the importance of data science for solving major challenges for the public good. In addition to challenges within the health domain, we will also cover the importance of data science in the green transition of society.
Data Science for Global Good
DHIS2 is the world’s largest Health Management Information System (HMIS). DHIS2 is used by national Ministries of Health to collect and analyze public health data in 76 low- and middle-income countries, covering a combined population of more than 3.2 billion people. DHIS2 is developed by the HISP Centre at the University of Oslo (UiO), as part of a long-term action research project on strengthening and decentralizing health information systems that began in South Africa in 1994, that continues today as a South-South-North network of action. DHIS2 is totally free and open-source, and is recognized as a Digital Public Good.
The response to the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how effectively countries can adapt and expand their existing DHIS2 platforms locally to meet emerging demands. Leveraging existing health information systems and national capacity is the key to robust emergency response. Since March 2020, DHIS2 has been deployed for COVID-19 surveillance and vaccination at a national scale by 45 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas as a WHO-approved immunization & VPD surveillance health data toolkits on DHIS2. This includes Norway, where DHIS2 was used for case registration and contact tracing in 130 municipalities around the country.
The effects of global climate change are felt locally across a broad range of health domains, including vulnerability to extreme heat, food security and nutrition, climate sensitive infectious diseases, and emergency response and preparedness. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are particularly exposed to negative human health impacts from climate change.
Unfortunately, there are also significant gaps in the availability and quality of local climate data in LMICs, which also means that most global modeled climate data products that are available do not provide sufficiently granular data for local-level analysis and decision making. In addition, there are gaps in the interdisciplinary expertise and digital tools required to effectively triangulate climate and health (C&H) data to facilitate preventive and mitigation actions.
The HISP Centre at UiO is now planning to embark an action research project in four LMICs to design, implement, test, and refine local DHIS2 C&H systems to respond to pressing health needs.
Program
08:45 – Breakfast is served
09:00 – Introduction by Morten D?hlen (Center Manager, dScience) and Kristin Braa (Prof. Center Director, HISP)
09:30 – Q&A and further discussion
To participate, please fill out the registration form.
About the dScience Breakfast Club
In these breakfast meetings, researchers and others who work within the thematic field can meet and discuss a chosen topic. These meetings are open to everyone, but we ask you to sign up due to limited space. Breakfast will be served, accompanied with juice and coffee/tea. This is a monthly happening initiated by the dScience council.