Leveraging the Power of Digital Technologies and Data Systems against COVID-19

By Rebecca Saxton-Fox; Jaclyn Carlsen; Merrick Schaefer; Adele Waugaman Photo by Sarah Grile for USAID.May 26, 2020How can digital technologies and data best be leveraged to support the COVID-19 response in low- and middle-income countries?Recent efforts to fight the pandemic demonstrate the incredible power that digital technology offers as we rise to face unprecedented global threats and support partner countries’ on their journey to self-reliance.To fight the spread of COVID-19, information is critical. Responders and decision makers need detailed and timely data about the disease’s spread, and communities need access to trusted and truthful information to protect themselves and their families.Children are using digital technology to learn, people are using digital payments to send money to loved ones, and local institutions are coming online to deliver services that have been impacted by the epidemic. This requires robust digital tools, internet connectivity, as well as policies and infrastructure to support the responsible use of these technologies and sensitive data.The response to the Ebola outbreak that hit West Africa in 2014 offers powerful lessons for how to effectively and responsibly use digital technologies and data.When that outbreak happened, the world was unprepared. The consequences: 30,000 cases, 11,000 deaths, and billions of dollars lost. The scale of COVID-19 is already much broader.During the Ebola outbreak, the systems West Africa requi...
Source: IntraHealth International - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Infectious Diseases COVID-19 Ebola Digital Health Technology Mobile Technology Source Type: news