Inspire Peach Project to Revolutionize COVID-19 Data Management in Africa-Expert
Inspire Peach Project to revolutionise COVID-19 data management in Africa.
BLANTYRE, Malawi — The Inspire Peach Project, a two-year project that developed a harmonised data platform for COVID-19 data, with a primary focus on supporting policy decision-making, is set to revolutionise the way COVID-19 data is managed in Africa, according to Dr Sylvia Muyingo, an Associate Research Scientist at the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC), write Sumeya Issa and Winston Mwale.
Her remarks came ahead of the highly anticipated two-day dissemination workshop scheduled for June 26th and 27th at the Mount Soche Sunbird Hotel in Blantyre, Malawi.
The workshop aims to showcase the Inspire Peach Project's ambitious goal of developing a harmonised data platform for COVID-19 data, with a primary focus on supporting policy decision-making.
During an exclusive interview with AfricaBrief’s Sumeya, Dr. Muyingo, who was the Principal Investigator during the project, highlighted the project's comprehensive approach to addressing critical areas in data management and healthcare.
"With four dedicated work streams focusing on data pipeline development, data visualisation, capacity building in data science, and stakeholder engagement, the Inspire Peach Project has built significant momentum in the past two years," said Dr. Muyingo.
"We are excited to unveil the platform, demonstrate its use cases, and describe the user experiences during this workshop."
The dissemination event will bring together policymakers, data experts, and community groups from Malawi and Kenya, with the aim of fostering collaboration and driving the utilisation of AI and data science tools in healthcare initiatives across Africa.
Dr. Muyingo emphasised the importance of standardising data collection, improving research capacity, and strengthening infrastructure for successful implementation.
"The workshop will provide a platform for interactive sessions and workshops, allowing participants to network, discuss COVID-19 response strategies, and explore future opportunities and challenges," Dr. Muyingo stated.
"We aim to showcase the potential of AI in managing large-scale pandemics while addressing concerns surrounding ethics and inclusivity."
The Inspire Peach Project's ambitious agenda aligns with the growing recognition of AI's transformative role in the healthcare sector.
Through ongoing collaborations and partnerships, the project seeks to leverage technology to improve healthcare outcomes and enhance policy decision-making processes.
Dr. Muyingo highlighted key insights and discussed various topics related to the dissemination event and the Inspire Peach Project.
One of the primary objectives of the workshop is to showcase the outcomes of the project and its significant contribution to policy decision-making in the context of COVID-19.
"The Inspire Peach Project aimed to develop a harmonised data platform that would support policymakers, ministries of health, and other stakeholders in making informed decisions," explained Dr. Muyingo.
"Through our focused work streams, including data pipeline development, data visualisation, capacity building in data science, and stakeholder engagement, we have made substantial progress in achieving this objective."
The dissemination event will provide an opportunity to demonstrate the platform, present real-world use cases, and share user experiences. Dr. Muyingo emphasised the importance of engagement and collaboration among stakeholders to maximise the platform's impact and ensure its relevance in addressing critical healthcare challenges.
Over the past two years, the Inspire Peach Project has successfully engaged stakeholders and raised awareness about the potential of AI and healthcare.
Webinars and workshops have been conducted to address biases and ethics surrounding AI, while policy briefs and toolkits have been developed to guide standardised data collection processes.
"Our goal is to empower decision-makers with improved data interpretation and decision-making capabilities using the platform," said Dr. Muyingo.
"The platform's versatility allows for deployment in different instances with minimal technical capacity requirements, making it accessible to a wide range of users."
According to Dr. Muyingo, the workshop will see participation from policymakers, public health experts, data specialists, AI and healthcare organisations, civil society, as well as representatives from gender and community groups.
Notable organizations invited include Creed and Hinet from Kenya and the Global Fund Initiative from Malawi.
Throughout the event, participants will delve into various themes, including understanding the role of AI in healthcare, showcasing the Inspire Peach platform, and engaging in discussions about future aspirations and challenges.
The workshop will provide interactive sessions and workshops, allowing stakeholders to review the platform, explore future opportunities, and address any concerns related to the ethical use of AI in healthcare.
"We have learned valuable lessons from previous experiences and conducted pilot studies to better understand the challenges and benefits of integrating AI into public health practises," Dr. Muyingo shared.
"By creating a safe environment for embracing AI and improving healthcare outcomes, we aim to foster ongoing collaborations and partnerships among stakeholders interested in utilising AI.
About Dr. Muyingo
Sylvia is a highly qualified statistician with a PhD in Biometry and a Masters in Medical Statistics. She has over 10 years of experience in the field of public health, and her work has focused on the use of statistics and data science to improve health outcomes in Africa.
In her previous role at the Medical Research Council/London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Sylvia worked on the design and analysis of clinical trials and observational studies of HIV treatment and care. She also led the development of innovative methods for analysing medication adherence in resource-limited settings.
Since joining APHRC, Sylvia has continued to work on the application of statistics and data science to public health problems in Africa.
Her recent research has focused on the use of novel statistics and data science tools to understand health disparities and outcomes in research, knowledge translation, and developing population health metrics.
The Key Points:
The project aims to develop a COVID-19 harmonised data platform to support policy decision-making.
The event will showcase the platform, demonstrate use cases, and describe user experiences.
The main recipients of the platform are policymakers, ministries of health, and other stakeholders.
The project has built momentum and engaged stakeholders in discussions about AI and healthcare.
Key findings include the need for standardising data collection and improving infrastructure and research capacity.
Stakeholders from Malawi and Kenya, including policymakers, data experts, and community groups, will participate in the workshop.
The themes of the event include understanding AI in healthcare, demonstrating the platform, and discussing future aspirations.
There will be interactive sessions and workshops for networking and discussing COVID-19 responses and agendas.
The event includes interactive sessions to review the platform and discuss future opportunities and challenges.
The event aims to showcase the use of AI in managing a large-scale pandemic and address concerns about ethics and inclusivity.
The event will foster ongoing collaborations and partnerships among stakeholders interested in using AI and data science tools for health initiatives in Africa.
The team has learned from past experiences and conducted pilot studies to understand the challenges and benefits of AI in public health.
The event aims to create a safe environment for embracing AI and improving healthcare outcomes.
Partners in the project include MUBAS, LSHTM, CODATA- International Science Council, and SAPRIN.
The two-day workshop will operate under the theme “Building a Data Platform for COVID-19 Data in Africa Using AI and Data Science Tools.”