Novel Approach to Support Rapid Data Collection, Management, and Visualization During the COVID-19 Outbreak Response in the World Health Organization African Region: Development of a Data Summarization and Visualization Tool.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges to the systematic and timely sharing of COVID-19 field data collection and management. The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with health partners on the rollout and implementation of a robust electronic field data collection platform. The delay in the deployment and rollout of this electronic platform in the WHO African Region, as a consequence of the application of large-scale public health and social measures including movement restrictions and geographical area quarantine, left a gap between data collection and management. This lead to the need to develop interim data management solutions to accurately monitor the evolution of the pandemic and support the deployment of appropriate public health interventions. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to review the design, development, and implementation of the COVID-19 Data Summarization and Visualization (DSV) tool as a rapidly deployable solution to fill this critical data collection gap as an interim solution. METHODS: This paper reviews the processes undertaken to research and develop a tool to bridge the data collection gap between the onset of a COVID-19 outbreak and the start of data collection using a prioritized electronic platform such as Go.Data in the WHO African Region. RESULTS: In anticipation of the implementation of a prioritized tool for field data collection, the DSV tool was deployed in 18 member states for COVID-19 outbreak data management. We highlight preliminary findings and lessons learned from the DSV tool deployment in the WHO African Region. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a rapidly deployable tool for COVID-19 data collection and visualization in the WHO African Region. The lessons drawn on this experience offer an opportunity to learn and apply these to improve future similar public health informatics initiatives in an outbreak or similar humanitarian setting, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Development and Implementation of Electronic Disease Early Warning Systems for Optimal Disease Surveillance and Response during Humanitarian Crisis and Ebola Outbreak in Yemen, Somalia, Liberia and Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To share lessons learned with experience in concept development of electronic disease early warning system (eDEWS) as a standardized informatic tool for optimal disease surveillance for early warning and response Network (EWARN) during humanitarian crisis. METHODS: We did literature search, review and analysis to document system attributes of existing electronic tools being used for disease surveillance, early warning and health management information system (HMIS). We generated baseline information and conducted multiple planning sessions with stakeholders for EWARN system requirement elicitation and validation to inform concept development of standardized electronic tool. RESULTS: We identified 98 electronic health projects, classified 22 projects under 'Disease and epidemic outbreak surveillance' theme, whereas only four electronic tools met our selection criteria and were reported to be implemented in humanitarian settings complimentary to EWARN. Baseline information was obtained to guide work on requirement gathering and analysis process, and development of concept for a standardized electronic tool for EWARN. DISCUSSION: The eDEWS was enhanced with an objective to develop standardize electronic tools and data collection procedures to monitor diseases and health events for alert detection in global humanitarian settings. The enhanced system could be harnessed as a powerful tool by outbreak response teams in getting vital epidemiological information for appropriate and timely response during emergencies. CONCLUSION: eDEWS experiences in Yemen, Somalia, Liberia and Pakistan offers an opportunity to learn and apply lessons to improve future health informatics initiatives or adapt eDEWS as a feasible standardized approach to enhance EWARN implementation during humanitarian crisis, and potential integration into routine surveillance systems.