Today seems we are celebrating the launch of many things- but they are working together as a system
The cambodia CDC vision of integrated systems that can create a reliable, timely and relevant operational picture
As a non-doctor, I can say Disease surveillance is tough.
What is really happening in the field during an outbreak or is a complex picture put together from many sources.
Unfortunately each source will have to make a tradeoff between completeness/coverage, timeliness and quality.
Making decisions that affect lives of citizens when you know all data is suspect ,late, or incomplete takes a special responsibility.
That responsibility includes the drive to constantly improve the data you use
Not easy to have such a vision, here are some tradeoffs aMOH deals with for disease surveillance data
Technology can help us add to our portfolio the sort of data sources that are needed
Innovation starts at the very beginning of the process, as the CDC realizes it can’t have each of these datasets in silos, in locked rooms, managed by different NGOs, with no interconnection.
The first big innovation of the Cambodia CDC is to start looking at all these technologies as part of one system.
And that is exactly what the CDC is doing with His Excellncy Dr Ly sovann’s vision – they are adding the 115 hotline, a channel creating an opportunity for direct dialogue with the population, a direct report and escalation tool.
The significance of the 115 hotline goes beyond the completeness and timeliness of information.
Because engaging in a conversation with your beneficiaries is not just a new data feed.
A two-way-dialogue is qualitatively different.
Today with the hotline you can take information in, but one day you will also educate, provide risk reduction tips, enroll in digital protocols of follow up, or proactively send tips and alerts to affected areas. Your imagination is the limit.
The launch of 115 is in my mind a profound milestone – The CDC is recognizing and supporting the role of the population as active agents of their own health- in partnership with country officials - to detect, respond, and prevent the disease. The 115 hotline launching today is just the first concrete step into the potential the concept of dialogue
And we need to celebrate first steps. Looking back it’s those that sometimes turn out to be the giant leaps.
The leadership of the Cambodia CDC goes beyond fulfilling its national mission, and into influencing the region. Cambodia is the ICT lead for the Mekong Basin Disease Surveillance Network, and when it comes to innovation and technology, you are leading by example. We can only hope all neighboring countries can take the lessons of implementing these technologies and replicate the result, and that WHO sees the effectiveness of the evaluations as a model
I think a special mention should go to Dr Mark Smolinski who throughout almost 8 years now has leading by setting the example of what we’d wish we saw in more funders: being there, engaging with the recipients listening, understanding. We are fortunate to have him here with us,
So thank you all for trusting InSTEDD to support you in these giant leaps disguised as small steps. Thanks.
I’ll hand you over to Dr Mark Smolinski, my favorite disease detective.