Abstract
The emergence of COVID-19 highlights globalisation realties, where diseases may emerge from anywhere and rapidly spread globally. Lessons emphasise the necessity for strengthening regional and global collaboration and coordination to allow rapid risk identification, resource mobilisation and joint actions. We report the experience of the Regional Action through Data (RAD) partnership in fostering regional cooperation and collaboration to use data for battling infectious diseases and the effects of COVID-19. The Partnership comprised;BoadReach company, The West African Health Organization (WAHO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD); Duke University Global Health Centre and the Jembi Health Systems, South Africa.Main objective:To address the problem of limited used of data to drive performance in healthcare service delivery in sub-Saharan Africa; by changing how and why data is collected, analysed, and then used to achieve results.Specific objectives:1. Regional level: To equip and empower IGAD and WAHO with evidence-based analytics to drive data use for evidence-based policy and program action in public health (regional level). 2. Patient-provider level: To deploy and implement a digital health solution for child-hood vaccination services focused on mobile cross-border populations along the Uganda-Kenya border.Engagement approaches used included; meetings, workshops, technical working groups, establishing monitoring system and annual implementation revision. Targeted training and capacity building were conducted. All activities were built on existing systems and structures to strengthen ownership and sustainability.Regional level achievements:1. Regional health data sharing and protection policy, 2. Strengthened regional health information platform. Patient provider level: Deployment of a cloud based digital health solution to enhance childhood access to vaccination services for cross border populations of Kenya and Uganda, 3. Both regions developed resource mobilisation plans for sustainability.RAD established the foundation for building trust and strengthening regional collaboration and coordination in health in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Highlights
The West African Health Organization (WAHO) dashboard was developed with Regional Action through Data (RAD) support while the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) dashboard was developed by IGAD member states with support from the World Health Organization
The establishment of regional health data governance and protection systems in 2 economic regions of Sub-Saharan Africa was a breakthrough in enhancing regional collaboration and coordination of efforts to fight infectious diseases and other health threats
It is a significant achievement in that the 2 regions (WAHO and IGAD) have legal instruments allowing for formal discussions and formulation of regional health policies and practices which are informed by quality regional data
Summary
The frequent emergence of global health threats including the current COVID-19 pandemic highlights globalisation realties, where diseases may emerge from anywhere and rapidly spread across countries, regions, and continents.[1,2,3] Experience from past threats plus the current COVID-19 pandemic emphasise the role of strong regional and global collaboration and coordination of efforts in containing and or preventing these threats at source.[1,2,3,4,5] At the start of the 21st century, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was identified early as a global threat and successfully contained through collaboration and coordination across countries.[1]. Preparedness is a continuous process of implementing actions before, during and after any public health event.[7,8,9] Preparedness is establishing active surveillance systems able to detect earliest signals of disease outbreak and alerting countries and regions to respond early and adequately. Countries and regions are required to invest in preparedness to have the capacity to mobilise adequate resources to prevent or contain disease outbreaks at source. Necessary capacities include; well prepared and resourced infrastructure i.e. hospitals and facilities for quarantine, sufficient workforce ready to take actions, sufficient stocks of personal protection equipment, medicines and other logistics as may be required during emergency.
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