The emergent and re-emergent of global pandemics present significant challenges in lower- and-middle-income countries (LMICs) where health systems have limited capacity for timely identification and monitoring of the potential impact of pandemics. This project aims to strengthen health systems in LMICs via digitalisation to improve preparedness and responsiveness to pandemics. It has three interrelated workstreams: 1. An assessment of current capacity to use routinely collected data for healthcare decisions, including an illustrative analysis to showcase use of data to inform policy/practice. 2. Co-development and implementation of digital health and data analytics/visualisation tools and processes to facilitate data access and use for timely decisions. 3. Ploting and evaluating feasibility/process of digitalisation of healthcare data. The project is jointly led by two partners in Kenya and the UK: the Tropical Institute of Community Health and Development in Africa (TICH) in Kenya and Keele University - UK, in collaboration with the Kenyan Ministry of Health and the University of Sunderland - UK. It is a three-year project, starting in November 2024, being implemented in two counties of western Kenya: Kisumu and Siaya. Findings will inform the development of appropriate data digitalisation and visualisation/analytics tools to enhance evidence-based decision making for improved performance of the health systems with feedback loops at all levels. Potential impact extends beyond the study setting in Kenya to other LMICs.

The project has 3 objectives: 1. Establish current capacity to use data/evidence for healthcare decisions, using Covid-19 and maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) care/outcomes for illustration. 2. Develop digital health and intelligent data analytics/visualisation tools to facilitate and enhance data access/interpretation. 3. Pilot and assess feasibility of digitalisation of healthcare data for timely MNCH decisions.