GIS data

management
of epidemics
Sabelo Nick Dlamini
HIM/WHO/AFRO

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 GIS data in epidemics

Importance of GIS
§  To understand the bigger picture of
public health events
§  Case-based mapping or health facility
catchment areas
§  Identify and map vulnerable populations,
health outcomes, risk factors and the
relationships between them

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 GIS data in epidemic management

§  Important for spatio-temporal

analysis

§  The impact of risk factors on

populations, and the trends by
which populations are affected

§  Capacity to understand epidemic

transmission patterns in country,
continental and global

§  Overlaying geospatial data

improves our understanding of
epidemic risk factors

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 GIS data in epidemics

Capabilities of GIS data

§  GIS link disease with environmental and

other spatial data (popu, socio-economics,
distance) - offset in modeling
§  Visualize, analyze, interpret and display
multifaceted geo-location data
§  Modeling techniques for prediction
§  Big Data display interface

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 Innovation required for effective management
of epidemics
§  Previous uses of GIS in public health
were based on static maps
§  Lack real-time components,
§  Implementing a space-time can improve
our understanding of how epidemics
spread

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 Innovation required for effective management
of epidemics

§  Need to improve geospatial data resolutions

−  aggregated at country/districts level

§  Improve space-time analysis and modelling for

epidemic prediction
−  Geo location of epidemic origin

§  Need to improve data capturing tools at

country levels to include geo location…GPS

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 Key messages

§  Data and information for surveillance and response activities are crucial for
decision making.

§  Countries with technical assistance of WHO and relevant partners need to improve
the use of interoperable, interconnected systems capable of linking and integrating
multi-sectoral surveillance data and using resulting information to enhance the
capacity to quickly detect and respond to developing biological threats.

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 Contact information

Sabelo Nick Dlamini

GIS Specialist (WHO AFRO)
Email: dlaminis@who.int
Tel: +47 241 39546

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