Connecting for Health Research in Africa

International Workshop on African Research & Networking

Dr Joan DzenowagisWorld Health Organization

CERN, Geneva, September 2005

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OutlineI. World Health Organization's

African RegionII. Information & communication

technologies (ICT) for health programs

III. ICT in support of WHO programs

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World Health Organization• Specialized agency of the United Nations• Public health mandate, founded 1948• 6000 staff: headquarters (Geneva), regional

offices and 192 countries• Major initiatives for combating infectious

diseases (HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, influenza, polio); improving maternal and child health; tobacco control, others

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Example: Causes of death WHO African Region, stratum E

34%

39%

20%

7%Communicable diseases(inc luding maternal causes)HIV, TB, malaria

Noncommunicable conditions

Injuries

Source: World health report, 2004

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Effects of globalization: Epidemics affect travel and trade

Source: WHO 2005

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ICT is fundamental in health research

• Improve flow of information and increase research and operational efficiency

• Quality and safety: avoid mistakes, reduce costs and duplication

• Access to tools for learning, research and practice

• Access to information, data, products, advice

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Model of ICT in health systems

TelecommunicationsConnectivity infrastructure

Internet services

Geographicdispersion

Organizationalinfrastructure

Individual users

Pervasiveness

Organizational users

Sectoral absorption

Characteristicsof use

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Spending on health, ICT and education, Kenya (% GDP, 2002)

0

2.5

5

7.5

10

Health ICT Education

PublicPrivateTotal

GDP: 12 224 740 000

% GDP

Sources: WHO 2005, ITU 2004, UNDP 2004

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Making ICT work for health: Health InterNetwork

One of four major initiatives of the UN Millennium Action Plan, Sept 2000

Supports public health programs and priorities • Content: relevant, high quality, affordable• Connectivity: improving Internet access• Capacity: training to use information effectively• Policy: creating a facilitating environment

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HIN Access to Research Initiative

• First HIN success: major breakthrough in making content available

• Partnership between WHO and journal publishers

• Delivers 2900+ biomedical journals online, free or at low cost, to health institutions in 113 low-income countries

• Addition of agriculture (FAO) & environment (UNEP) to partnership, collections

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UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research & Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR)

• Jointly managed funding agency, supported by voluntary contributions

• 2 goals: building research capacity and developing new tools for disease control

• Focuses on 10 tropical diseases

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TDR's strategic use of ICTSince the 1990s has incorporated eMail,

Internet into program and outreach• SatelLife launch and support: 1992-95• Hardware installations: 1993-98• Connectivity solutions: 1998-2000• LAN installations: 1998-2000• Training courses & materials for HINARI

institutions

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Supporting WHO's work in countries: WHO Global Private

Network (1)• Began in 1999 with 6 regional offices• Adding country offices and health centers

(approx 150)• Connectivity with satellite (Norway) and

terrestrial links (Geneva hub)• WHO offices in Africa mainly connected

via satellite, with some VPN connections via ISP

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40 offices connected Target: all countries by early

2006

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WHO Global Private Network (2)

• Services include voice, video conferencing, Internet and data

• Firewalls at hubs & local offices• Bandwidth 1Mbps for regional office,

128/192 Kbps for country offices• GPN crucial for integrated WHO global

management & services at country level

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WHO Global Private Network (3)

• Part of the CERN consortium for Internet access

• WHO has started using the network of scientists (Sinet, Geant) to connect offices

• Seek to collaborate more closely with other networks, to benefit in the future

Joan Dzenowagisdzenowagisj@who.int

With thanks to WHO colleaguesG. Kernen, D. Metais, S. Wayling