GIS FOR CORONAVIRUS PLANNING AND RESPONSE

GIS combining different location information to form maps, dashboards and apps that make data easier to understand and use for effective and efficient action planning and response to Coronavirus

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Inspiration Provide and stop framework for public health professionals to access data and information for efficient and effective response to coronavirus in the City and Uganda in order to curb its spread and eliminate it and thereby saving lives. Provide authoritative information to the general public to guide, advice and help them in the best appropriate way in dealing with and response to coronavirus

What it does We respond to coronavirus using GIS in this 5 ways

  1. Map Cases(active, deaths and recoveries, confirmed, hospitalised, ICU,Negative and unknown.
  2. Map the spread to reveal the spread of infections over time so as to guide targeted interventions
  3. Map Vulnerable Populations, identify who are at risk and where they are so as to responsed appropiately to their needs. We take into account (socio-economic status, age, health, lifestyle and population/housing density attributes)
  4. Map our capacity to respond (Hospitals and their capacity with regards to health professionals and equipments, social distancing restrictions-schools closed, isolation centers,transit border points. Testing sites, social instituitons, ambulance location coverage etc.
  5. Communicate using web maps, dashboards and story maps all integrated in a web hub https://coronavirus-response-19-ctf-kcca-gisservices.hub.arcgis.com/

How we built it. We configured and deployed to speak to a local context a coronavirus response templated donated by ESRI disaster response program. Developed Kampala -Uganda Covid Dashboard, ambulance coverage app, medical facilities location app, non medical facilities location app. We integrate resources on covid-19 symptoms, frequently asked questions on coronavirus, advice on what to do to prevent oneself from acquiring coronavirus and what to do if one falls sick. We also incorporated in formation from the World Health Organisation and Ministry of Health Uganda. Twittter for the Kampala Capital City Council, Ministry of Health Uganda and World Health Organisation. Add you tube videos of the president address to the nations on action points in response to coronavirus, World Health Organisation Updates and local updates

Challenges we ran into The biggest challenge so far availability of data required to feed into the applications in order to provide most updated dashboards for decision makers to make quick and timely decisions in response to coronavirus

There is need to automate contact tracing so as to reduce contact between surveillance officers and contact persons isolated and monitored for 14 days. This poses a huge risk in spreading the coronavirus

Accomplishments that we're proud of, we have published the web hub on the Kampala Capital City Authority Website after presenting it to the Director Public Health and Environment. We have also published it on other social media channels and so far around 5,000 people have viewed and followed it.

We also made a presentation of it the Ministry of Health Uganda Emergency Operation Center who have requested for our technical support in implementing a similar solution for the country and we are currently working on this. We also made a presentation of it to Bill and Melinda Org Asia who promised to link us up with other countries to provide a mobile solution for contact tracing and follow up.

What we learned We have learnt to work hard, sacrifice time, read widely and do our best to figure out solutions to address emerging challenges. We have also learnt that the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and persons technically skilled at it are critical for response to public health emergencies. We have learnt that working together with authoritative organisations and providing real-time and internet based information is very critical in response to emergencies

What's next for GIS FOR CORONAVIRUS PLANNING AND RESPONSE what we are planning is to document every step of response to coranvirus so as to learn lessons for future response to unprecedented emergencies and also inform formation of relevant public policy

We are also planning to conduct a number of assessments on the Uganda Economy and lives of people

Built With

  • https://coronavirus-response-19-ctf-kcca-gisservices.hub.arcgis.com/
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