| Creators: |
Holl, Felix and Kircher, Jennifer and Sukums, Felix and Swoboda, Walter |
| Title: |
Comparison of the digital health strategies of Tanzania and Germany: First results of a comparative policy analysis. |
| Item Type: |
Conference or Workshop Item |
| Event Title: |
(Proceedings of the) Annual Symposium of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) |
| Event Location: |
Washington, DC, USA |
| Event Dates: |
November, 9-5,2022 |
| Projects: |
DigiHealth, GlobalHealthInformatics |
| Page Range: |
pp. 167-169 |
| Date: |
2022 |
| Divisions: |
Gesundheitsmanagement |
| Abstract (ENG): |
Introduction:
In recent years, technological advances have led to a fast-growing adoption of digital health technologies. Still, they
have led to many similar projects, including siloed information systems with low levels of interoperability. To combat
this trend, countries have developed digital health strategies (DHS) to steer the development and set a guiding strategy
for future developments to align health priorities and information systems and improve interoperability. The World
Health Organization (WHO) has released the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025 to provide global guidance
[1]. Digital health strategies may not include emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning,
or drones, leading to uncoordinated developments and adoption[2].
Methods:
We are conducting a comparison of the DHSs of Tanzania and Germany. We are assessing the consistency with the
WHO Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025 (DSGH), applying a document analysis and comparative policy
analysis approach [3], [4]. The analysis investigates three aspects: 1) Assessing consistency with the WHO DSGH
2020-2025; 2) Identifying similarities and differences in the strategies aligned with national health systems and
respective priorities as these are different in each country; 3) Exploring the extent to which they incorporate new
technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, drones, etc. In the analysis, we divided the findings into
Policy options & actions, and Outputs.
Results:
Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly, and Children has put the Digital Health
Strategy July 2019 until June 2024 as a single strategy in place [5]. In Germany, in contrast, several federal ministries
and institutions are responsible for various digital health aspects and have published respective strategies (released
between 2015 – 2021). Most of the 25 elements from the WHO DSGH were included in both Germany and Tanzania’s
DHSs. In each country’s strategy, five elements are not present (but different elements). In addition to the aspects of
the WHO DSGH, Tanzania’s DHS emphasizes 1) Quality aspects and data use, 2) Digital solutions for supply chains
and resource optimization, 3) Human resources. These aspects are aligned to the WHO Health System Building Blocks
and WHO/ITU eHealth Strategy Toolkit and national health priorities at all levels of the health system Germany’s
DGHS, focusing on overcoming sectoral boundaries.
Conclusion:
While Germany’s and Tanzania’s DHSs are mostly aligned with the WHO GSDH, certain aspects are not covered.
And their additional aspects included which are not covered by the WHO. These address country-specific challenges
of the country’s healthcare system. The analysis of emerging technologies is still pending. The limitation of the
comparison is that the Tanzanian DHS was released a year before the WHO GSDH, and the German strategies have
been released over several years. |
| Forthcoming: |
No |
| Main areas or research: |
Health |
| Language: |
English |
| Citation: |
Holl, Felix and Kircher, Jennifer and Sukums, Felix and Swoboda, Walter
(2022)
Comparison of the digital health strategies of Tanzania and Germany: First results of a comparative policy analysis.
In: (Proceedings of the) Annual Symposium of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), November, 9-5,2022, Washington, DC, USA, pp. 167-169.
ISBN 9798331316280
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