Subtotal £0.00
The Global Digital Health Forum 2024 may be behind us, but discussions, technologies and collaborations will live on forever. This year’s forum, which took place from 4-6 December 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya for the first time on African soil, was a turning point for digital health worldwide.
Palladium, a proud sponsor, participated alongside global thought leaders, practitioners and policymakers, and shared insights about how digital transformation can transform health systems and outcomes. With opening remarks from Rose Nzyoka, Kenya Country Representative at Palladium and Co-Chair of the Global Digital Health Network; Mark Dillard, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Kenya; and leaders such as Nick Martin from TechChange, Carol Kamasaka from PATH, Dr. Ayub Manya, Acting Director for Policy, Digital Health, and Innovation at the Ministry of Health, Steven Wanyee from Intellisoft Technologies, and Pascal Mwele, Director of Digital Innovation & Change Management at Palladium, the stage was set for a remarkable forum.
Highlights from GDHF 2024
Kenya’s Digital Health Leadership
The digital health leadership of Kenya was on full display at the forum. Hon. Deborah Barasa, Cabinet Secretary for Health, talked about the country’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and how the Digital Health Act of 2023 is enabling this. Her keynote address renewed faith in the potential of system-level, technologically supported health care.
Pioneering Digital Health Solutions
Dr. Jacob Odhiambo, KenyaHMIS Program Director at Palladium, led multiple sessions including a hands-on demonstration of AI-based workflows in KenyaEMR, demonstrated how innovative tools re-engineering healthcare. In depth insights from a live video presentation on how AI could detect HIV cases and retain patients demonstrated machine learning at scale.
Balancing Data Privacy and Utility
Evans Munene, Process Excellence & Delivery Lead at Palladium, and Dr. Joyce Wamicwe, Digital Health & Informatics Lead at the Digital Health Agency, Ministry of Health Kenya, delivered an insightful lighting talk session on Kenya’s Health Data Governance Framework focusing on the need to maintain balance between privacy and data responsible use. It was a learning session for other countries on how to develop security while also meeting public health objectives.
Remote Logging Solution
Frida Oyucho, Senior Health Informatics & Data Use Specialist at Palladium, and APHL’s Rufus Nyaga ‘s demonstration on how Palladium, with partners APHL and CHAI, built a Remote Logging feature now being used by more than 60% of EMR facilities in Kenya, to automate sample requests, connect EMRs to LIMS and accelerate time-to-treatment stood out. This innovation reduced sample processing time from two weeks to five days or less in the influenza surveillance, bolstering outbreak response.
Transforming Disease Surveillance
Nzisa Liku, Senior Public Health Specialist, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Kenya and Shalin Moraa, Senior Program Associate, Team Cadence, and Agility at Palladium, showcased how the Ministry of Health integrated syndromic surveillance monitoring using ILI/SARI as a use case. The solution entails automated case detection through flagging of patients who meet the case definition, case reporting for all suspected cases, and sample referrals through automation of the lab manifest. With Phase I implementation in select health facilities, demonstrating the potential to identify signals, determine potential outbreaks, and timely response by the Ministry of Health.
A Mobile-Based Health Journal
Victor Were, Senior Information Systems Specialist, from Kenya HMIS Program joint implementing partner Health Workforce Training & Research Kenya (HETRAK) showcased the Nishauri mobile app which allows over 30,000 People Living with HIV (PLHIV) to securely access their health data, treatment regimen, lab tests and appointments, with an AI chatbot and facility directory for self-care and support. Through easy communication and patient-specific health management, Nishauri supports continuity of treatment, improves health care, and is a case study of Kenya’s innovation in the use of digital technologies in healthcare.
Real-world insights
Site visits to Uthiru Muthua Health Center, Coptic Hospital, and Kayole Sub County Hospital provided real-world insights into Kenya’s innovative use of digital health technologies to drive efficiency, equity, and resilience in healthcare. Kenya’s efforts to strengthen global health security through active and passive surveillance were demonstrated, participants explored the implementation of Health Information Exchange (HIE) systems within Kenya’s Digital Health Superhighway, showcasing end-to-end data movement from community to national levels, and AI/ML-powered diagnostic tools, which enable early HIV detection and patient management, as well as client empowerment solutions that use AI to support healthier decision-making were showcased.
Strengthening Health Security
Palladium’s breakout session on global health security surveillance in Kenya, moderated by Pascal Mwele, explored how to reimagine disease surveillance and response with digital solutions.
The COVID-19 strain brought up interoperability, data privacy, and infrastructure.
As Xenophon Santas of the CDC Atlanta said, “The challenges Kenya faced are global fragmented systems, difficulties in sharing data, and gaps in standardization. But Kenya’s progress shows what’s possible with the right partnerships and investments.”
Kenya’s success also draws on decades of HIV and TB programmes management.
“We’re building on what works, not starting from scratch,” Peninah Munyao from CDC Kenya explained. “The digital health superhighway ties surveillance data to health information exchanges, creating a roadmap for transformation.”
This session was a testimony of our commitment to use technology to enhance public health systems around the world.
The Future of Digital Health
GDHF 2024 has concluded, and the call to action is loud and clear. Digital health innovation can improve lives, but it requires sustainable investment, cross-sector collaboration, and commitment to innovation. What was shared and learned during this year’s forum is that we need to create robust health systems capable of addressing the challenges of the future.
Palladium is grateful to have been a part of this transformative process. As we look back at GDHF 2024, we are excited to continue working with local, regional and global partners to advance digital health solutions focused on equity, efficiency, and empowerment.
Comments are closed