Implementing the WHO DAKs, Securing Zambia's Health Data, and Empowering Healthcare With Machine Learning /Artificial Intelligence

Implementing the WHO DAKs, Securing Zambia's Health Data, and Empowering Healthcare With Machine Learning /Artificial Intelligence

Zambia, A Model For Evidence-Based Implementation Of The World Health Organization Health Organization’s Digital Adaptation Kits.

Following the wave of global health innovation, Zambia is emerging as a trailblazer, harnessing the transformative power of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Digital Adaptation Kits (DAKs) to transform its healthcare landscape.

Zambia is embracing the power of digital technologies to transform its healthcare landscape, guided by the WHO DAKs. These toolkits provide clear guidance based on WHO's recommendations for healthcare practices, systems, and data use, ensuring that digital systems align with global health standards.

The Family Planning DAK, the first DAK incorporated into Zambia's national electronic health record (EHR) system, SmartCare Plus, exemplifies Zambia’s Ministry of Health's commitment to evidence-based healthcare. This initiative provides a structured approach to incorporating family planning into the digital healthcare system, ensuring that services are delivered efficiently and adhere to WHO best practices.

Learn more from Mr. Kuwani Banda Clinical Health Specialist from the Institute for Health Measurement ( IHM ) Southern Africa, as he sheds light on the importance of effective implementation, meaningful use, sustainability, and lessons learned from the World Health Organization's (WHO) Digital Adaptation Kits (DAKs) initiative in Zambia.


Securing Zambia’s Health Data

By Lissa Mwenda


In the ever-evolving digital landscape, healthcare data has become a treasure trove, brimming with sensitive information. This isn't just about safeguarding numbers on a screen; it's about protecting lives. Every day, IHM witnesses the vast amounts of health data generated across Zambia's healthcare facilities through the electronic health record system SmartCare. From raw records to processed insights, this information holds immense power, guiding crucial decisions and shaping the future of public health. Yet, this very potential makes it a prime target for malicious actors.

IHM partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's Technical Assistance Platform (TAP) to bring in experts to help Zambia bolster its cybersecurity for digital health. The experts identified and helped mitigate vulnerabilities, and their work will inform a multi-level action plan to improve security across the health sector.

Learn more about how Zambia is bridging critical gaps and bolstering the existing security framework in the healthcare sector.


Empowering Healthcare With Machine Learning /Artificial Intelligence

By Lorraine Saunyama

As Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) continue to evolve, their integration with electronic healthcare systems offers a promising future where client-centered and data-driven healthcare becomes the new norm.

In Zambia, the SmartCare Plus electronic health record system, implemented by the Strengthening Capacity for Health Information System Sustainably (#SCHISS) project, is harnessing the transformative potential of AI/ML in healthcare. Its objective is to revolutionize patient care, enhance medical decision-making, and improve overall healthcare efficiency.

Collaborating with Cooper Smith, an organization that provides monitoring, evaluation, and project management services for international development and public health projects, IHM is supporting the Ministry of Health in predicting ART patients at risk of Loss to Follow-Up (LTFU). These are patients receiving ART medication who are likely to no longer actively seek care or miss scheduled appointments without any communication or known reason.

Discover the ongoing initiatives aimed at harnessing the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to empower clinicians, health programmers, public health specialists, and various healthcare professionals in Zambia.


Witness the transformative power of health data through the lens of IHM's expertise. Subscribe and share!



IHM Southern Africa is an informatics-driven social enterprise leveraging the power of data and technology to drive positive change. We use innovative solutions to address societal challenges, empowering communities and organizations to make informed decisions, enhance efficiency, and promote equitable and sustainable development.


要查看或添加评论,请登录

IHM的更多文章

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了