Digitization of health data for quick consumption

Data extraction into discrete managerial units for analysis on disease trends and predictor for informed and quick scientific decision making

In the last 5 years, People who die from curable diseases is almost constant in Uganda. Most of the people who die are mothers, youths’ children, orphans, migrants and people with disabilities.

Despite of the availability of health centers II, III at parish levels and sub county levels respectively we continuously see people dying from the same diseases. In addition to that, the heavy investments in the health sector by Non-Government Organizations, Governments and other donors in the different areas of HIV, malaria and other diseases still people die.

 The existence of the different units in Non-Government Organizations for example Strategic Information and Technical support unit (SITES) at USAID which assist in providing technical support and tracking different indicators in health and make reports with recommendations, little of this has been used for informed scientific decision making by the government to ensure that there is a bigger reduction in the number of people who die every year.

I believe we can solve the above problem by digitization of data for quick consumption, assisting in analyzing disease trends, as well as coming up with disease predictors for informed and quick scientific decision making in the healthy field. Data should be split into discrete small units that can handled and managed separately by experts of that particular experience.

Health data is available but in bulk which makes it hard to be put to use. Putting it in small units will assist us in checking specific trends, predict what’s to happen in the next period and knowing that particular region village where it prevails most, reducing our supervision area and group of interest.

We should then Identify and select people in our area of interest.The type of people to be selected may include Full time house wives, those with knowledge about the health field, illegally practicing nurses and doctors, volunteers in camps and communities, drop outs from the different medical colleges, nurses in private clinics and those with a certain level of education. These should then be trained by experts in one or more areas of interest by that particular community for a certain period of time. 

The experts should further make video explanations of the different areas we have trained the people, together with prescriptions,step by step procedures and other necessary information, these can be uploaded on the tablets to educate people further.The ones that excel in the training can then be provided with simple drugs like pain killers and other medical requirements like clinical thermometers, together with the tablets that contain all the necessary information to assist them.

This would automatically reduce the distance between the hospitals and the patients who may need simple treatment. The tablets can assist in  generating information to make reports thus knowing the progress, outbreak of a new disease, and identifying people that require more support.They can also help in organizing a reliable and effective medical camps as well as carrying out public lectures to teach, treat and advice the residents in a more professional way.

The solution uses simple technology of uploaded videos on tablets for further training and focuses on already willing and available people to be taught in our area of interest. For example full time responsible house wive, illegally practicing nurses and drop outs in medical related fields.The solution minimizes resources and involves community people which makes them feel part of the solution. The solution provides extra on job training and constant supervision of the selected teams. The solution aims at specific diseases per village not overall health.

My submission is on the use of the already existing healthy capturing data systems like the DHIS2, then extract data in the different discrete units that can easily be managed and then analysis is made on it.

Training of capable people with or without knowledge about the health field so that they have the confidence to operate on behalf of a medical staff in absence.

Undertaking public lectures and medical camps to sensitize the public about different heath issues

Wider dissemination of the findings and results together with recommendation to the public.

Making proper scientific study on the locally available medicines by professional doctors and then properly give informed advice to the local people on how to use 

Encourage the use of data capturing systems into the private medical facilities to improving data accurancy

Through the constant on job training and supervision of these selected people in each village, each person in that village will be near at least a person who can assist him with a medical issue. New videos will be uploaded every time to answer the raised concerns. Since different people are faced with different disease, then different villages will be handling a different disease at same time. By the time 3 year end, Almost all the villages will have reliable knowledge covering almost all the different diseases thus reducing the number of people dying

The solution is basically a community based solution that will actively involve the members of the community on a voluntary basis. The solution also aims at establishing ownership of each persons health to the whole community thus the community will own the end results. The people of the community will be worked on by the people they have always lived with, which will make the process smooth and effective

Am currently not serving any person

We shall be able to to extend treatment in a more effective, reliable and cheap way to all the people in our villages of interest. This is because each individual in a community will be able to reach out to his most nearest neighbor for consultation and even treatment rather than going to the hospital.Then new cases will be reported to clinical offices who will be making reports to assist in putting up medical camps for further treatment. we expect that by the 6 months most of the people will be reached and deaths reduced. 

Am young talented leader who believed in starting small and using available resources at my disposal towards making a difference in the live of the people of my community. I and my other friend are also resolution fellows who are awarded for outstanding commitment towards changing our societies. I am also currently interning from the strategic information and technical support(SITES) at USAID where i got to meet people with experience in this area and are willing to help. I believe in God, team work, and hard work.

I believe that solve has the access to all the basic knowledge, resources to assist in securing tablets, medicine, and proffesional doctors to train the teams. Pontential people at solve can donate and with the few resources we can motivate people selected to do this work as well as improve supervision. Solve can as well provide a platform of sharing knowledge and learning from one another especially we who aim at addressing health issues without health background.

Failure of the people to voluntarily accept to be trained in the health field

Obstacle from the government since it may take us through a longer procedure to achieve our goals

Limited finance to support the people who accept to volunteer may fail the project.

Poor supervision of the selected people b the required medical staff and poor training in the areas of interest.

failure to access tablets may affect the speed to which people may learn and practice. 

little drugs to give to the people may discourage them from coming back