The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), in partnership with the Defence Force of Zambia (DFZ), is currently holding a two-day high-level meeting to review processes and obtain concurrence on the rollout of SmartCare Pro across 58 DFZ health facilities nationwide.
Speaking at the event, Defence Force Medical Services Director Brig. Gen. (Dr) Jackson Kasela emphasised the significance of this milestone in enhancing healthcare within DFZ.
Brig. Gen. (Dr) Kasela said SmartCare Pro promises to improve the quality of health services and efficiency of healthcare delivery through enhanced data-based decision-making, thus improving health outcomes.
He added that implementing SmartCare Pro will optimise resource utilisation, leading to cost savings, which is crucial for program sustainability.
Meanwhile, CIDRZ Chief Executive Officer Dr Izukanji Sikazwe said that since its establishment in 2001, CIDRZ has contributed to global and national policy formulation in various fields, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, vaccine development, and others, through its cutting-edge research and implementation science.
Dr Sikazwe said, “CIDRZ works within the public health system, identifying challenges and bottlenecks and conducting research to understand and solve these issues for quality health service delivery.”
And Smart Zambia National Coordinator, Mr Percy Chinyama, said SmartCare Pro will improve health outcomes by centralising health data management system.
He assured DFZ that data security was SmartCare’s top priority while stating that the country had not experienced a data leakage since going digital.
This meeting, being held under the theme “Advancing Digital Health: A Strategic Imperative,” will run from July 18 to 19, 2024.