Consultancy Service in Digital Health

As part of its advisory services to the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the GIZ Sector Initiative Global Health (SVGG) contracted GFA to provide a series of short-term services to support SVGG in developing its digital health portfolio. GIZ SVGG advises BMZ on a range of global health policy issues, including multilateral health funds and initiatives, infectious disease control (particularly HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and polio), universal health coverage, health data and digital health. The project consisted of three work packages:

1. Digital Public Goods - Digital Public Goods (DPGs) for health have an important role to play in addressing health system challenges. T he open source software system SORMAS (Surveillance, Outbreak Response Management- and Analysis System) is an example of a DPG developed by the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) together with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and other partners and supported by German Development Cooperation in a number of countries and regions, mainly in Nigeria and Ghana. The task of this work package is to support the newly established SORMAS Foundation in developing its business model by drawing lessons from other DPGs and advising the SORMAS Foundation in the areas of governance, financial sustainability, software branching and community of practice management.
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) - AI is increasingly being used in the context of digital health. AI is used in a wide range of use cases, from predicting the spread of pandemics to automatic analysis of medical images. This work package aims to develop background documents that could guide German development assistance to further support the integration of AI into health systems in the context of low- and middle-income countries.
3. Supporting digital health through multilateral engagement - Germany provides significant funding through multilateral funds such as the Global Fund to Fight HIV, TB and Malaria, Gavi or the ACT-A. A holistic approach focusing on the health sector is also necessary. In addition, a holistic approach that focuses on strengthening health systems rather than disease-specific programming has long been a pillar of German development cooperation in the health sector. In recent years, digital health systems have become increasingly relevant for a functioning health system, and with increasing digitalization, the fragmentation of the digital health landscape in partner countries has become one of the biggest threats to realizing the potential of digital solutions. This work package aims to develop strategies and approaches to leverage existing funding for multilateral partners to strengthen health systems through the use of digital tools.

SHARE PROJECT ON