The Growing Role of Data Analytics in Healthcare Programs.
Over the next two years, Tanzania is poised to explore a first-of-its-kind data-driven venture through a strategic collaboration between its Immunization and Vaccines Development (IVD) Program and our dynamic team at Afya Intelligence. This collaborative initiative aims to leverage advanced predictive analytics, marking a significant improvement in current data use practices. Afya Intelligence is a local healthcare intelligence technology and consulting firm leveraging the power of data, emerging technologies, and partnerships to empower local clinics and pharmacies with transformative digital solutions that improve availability, affordability, and quality of healthcare services. Our core mission revolves around facilitating the seamless integration of emerging technologies in settings that traditionally lack resources to equip local healthcare practitioners with robust, data-driven tools, processes and systems.
"By developing contextualized data solutions and cultivating strong partnerships, We are passionately committed to positive impact on primary healthcare services at the community level across the region."
Afya Intelligence’s collaboration with the IVD during the COVID-19 vaccination efforts demonstrated success in providing crucial daily and weekly data insights to decision-makers and key stakeholders at national and subnational levels. This played a pivotal role in guiding strategic community-based vaccination interventions, resulting in the successful vaccination of all targeted adult populations above 18 years. This accomplishment lays the foundation for an even more robust collaboration in the recently commenced project that aims to provide insights and foresight that will strengthen routine immunization services.
A pivotal question arises: Can Afya Intelligence’s technical assistance and innovative data methodologies provide valuable insights for routine immunization programs, especially in reaching the unreached? This exploration provides the background and motivation for our collaboration with IVD towards data-driven immunization efforts in the next two years.
A Remedy for Data Quality?
Country immunization programs often encounter significant challenges, particularly when it comes to setting reliable vaccination targets, especially at the subnational level. In Tanzania this issue becomes apparent during outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in areas that were previously thought to be well-protected. Additionally, inconsistencies sometimes arise between the recorded number of vaccinated individuals and the supply chain data, further complicating the situation.
These discrepancies highlight the need for more accurate and efficient tracking mechanisms within immunization programs to ensure that vaccine distribution aligns closely with the actual vaccination rates, thereby reducing the risk of preventable disease outbreaks. Afya Intelligence and IVD are poised to revolutionize the planning of immunization activities with a pioneering strategy that leverages data triangulation to establish operational targets more accurately. This innovative method involves the systematic mapping and comparison of various related data sources. By doing so, it aims to provide a holistic view of essential components, including demographic estimates, historical vaccination data, supply chain data, and surveillance activities.
"Through data triangulation, Afya Intelligence and IVD are set to significantly enhance the effectiveness and reliability of immunization data." Delphinus Mujuni-Data Manager-Moh IVD."
Transformation to Predictive Analytics
The project team is excited about this transformative process from data use for traditional monitoring and evaluation to integration of more predictive analytics to inform more proactive action. In the initial phase of the project, our methodologies involve a comprehensive desk review of existing vaccination data and an immersion into current data use practices, including technical working groups meetings and stakeholder presentations. This approach aims to gather insights into subnational and national performance data use practices to better understand the existing needs.
Early insights have revealed the use of scorecards and maps in presentations as crucial for communicating potential vaccination gaps to subnational stakeholders. Additionally, valuable feedback was collected, which will play a pivotal role in devising solutions for improvement through the integration of predictive analytics.
A Glimpse Into the Toolbox
The Vaccination and Information Management System (VIMS), Remote Temperature Monitoring (RTM) systems, and Surveillance Data Systems provide crucial inputs for the Tanzania immunization program. As the project takes shape, these and other diverse range of data sources are expected to inform our analysis.
At Afya Intelligence, we leverage a diverse set of tools, including Excel Power Queries and R for data preparation, R markdown, GIS and BI tools for creating visuals and maps to bring findings to life through compelling narratives and dynamic data representation through interactive dashboards, unveiling immunization trends and performance metrics. In this project we will explore the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to optimize workflows and automate routine immunization reporting, saving time and resources of immunization managers, to focus on critical aspects of their work and contribute more effectively to improving immunization outcomes.
Looking Ahead
As we embark on Quarter 1 of 2024, the collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Health and Afya Intelligence, leveraging cutting-edge predictive analytics, hold the promise of increased immunization rates and a strengthened commitment to protecting the community from vaccine-preventable diseases. This venture serves as a testament to Tanzania’s commitment to leveraging data, innovation, and partnerships with local and partners, ushering in a new era of impactful public health initiatives. Stay tuned for the unfolding of this data-driven journey in the realm of immunization