This abstract has been accepted at the 2024 DHIS2 Annual Conference
Advancing zoonotic diseases early warning in Guinea: linking DHIS2 and EMPRES-I for enhanced disease surveillance
Background: Guinea’s health system grapples with fragmented data management and compartmentalized information, hindering effective response to health threats, particularly zoonoses. These challenges impact public health and economic stability. To address this, Guinea is enhancing disease surveillance and response through improved health information management systems. DHIS2, an open-source platform, serves as a repository for human health data, including disease surveillance. EMPRES-i specializes in animal health real-time surveillance. Integrating DHIS2 and EMPRES-I is part of a broader initiative supported by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and others. The aim is to enhance Guinea’s zoonotic diseases early warning system for an effective outbreak response. Methods: DHIS2 and EMPRES-I interoperability involves a collaborative effort between various stakeholders, including Guinean health authorities and data technology specialists in collaboration with the University of Oslo (UiO) through the Health Information System Program West and Central Africa (HISP WCA) experts. The interoperability process begins with the establishment of memoranda between Guinea and supporting partners. Regular meetings are organized with stakeholders from Guinea’s human and animal health sectors, partners such as CDC Atlanta and CDC Guinea, FAO, USAID and HISP WCA. Key stakeholders have validated a concept note detailing a chronogram of activities, the roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders and defined interoperability specifications. Results: The interoperability of DHIS2 and EMPRES-I in Guinea enhances the zoonotic early warning system by sharing DHIS2’s human health information with EMPRES-i’s animal health information. This integration improves disease trend prediction, resource allocation, and targeted interventions for zoonotic diseases. Correlating data from both systems allows authorities to detect patterns and trends that may indicate the emergence of zoonotic diseases or other health threats. This enables Guinea to take timely action to prevent the spread of disease, protect public health, and mitigate the economic impact of outbreaks. Conclusion: With collaborative support from FAO, CDC, USAID and other partners within the One Health platform and alongside technical guidance from UiO, the integration of DHIS2 and EMPRES-I represents a significant advancement in surveillance data management and zoonotic diseases epidemic response capabilities. By leveraging digital health systems and interoperable technologies, Guinea can strengthen its ability to detect and respond to zoonotic diseases.
Primary Author: Boubacar Ibrahima Diallo
Keywords:
Guinea, DHIS2, EMPRES-I, interoperability, One Health platform, zoonotic diseases, early warning detection system, and partnership.
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