Geographic information systems applications in India's public health are we moving towards the right direction?

Abstract

Governments worldwide focus particularly on digital healthcare sensors for leveraging data and technology like Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to improve governance and service delivery. Geoinformatics technology can help with epidemiological research and outbreak response, minimizing the health consequences in communities beforehand, during, and then after epidemic episodes. We can all agree that location and time play a crucial role in carrying out an efficient public health response. Since location information is essential for every stage of planning, response, and recovery, GIS helps the location-based support of public health preparedness programmes like support for decisions, resource allocation, communication and collaboration, and civic participation. GIS scales to situations ranging from adverse weather to pandemics. Public health professionals can coordinate their efforts with those of other organizations and external stakeholders due to maps and apps. The public health preparedness community may achieve significant strides by incorporating GIS data, models, communication and engagement centres, and location-centric apps. GIS technology can help with this efficient method for gathering data, performing analysis, where they are most needed, interacting with decision-makers, and finally achieving health equity can be created with the aid of a location-based strategy. During COVID-19, this reality was disseminated more extensively through the news media and the national, state, and local governments. This paper evaluates the application of GIS in the Indian public health system and the various aspects of public health where GIS may emerge as a game-changer for future policy decisions.