The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) and other implementing partners, with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are implementing the Global Public Health Data Innovation (GPHDI) program in line with the 2022 – 2026 Ministry of Health (MOH) Digital Health Strategy. A key GPHDI program objective is supporting the MOH in developing digital health skills among its workforce through targeted training programs.

To achieve this, CIDRZ through its PROUDZ project under the Data Modernisation Initiative, has successfully conducted a pioneering ICT Organisational Assessment for the Ministry of Health.

ICT professionals from various MOH departments participated in the assessment, providing valuable data that will inform future initiatives.

The thematic areas of the assessment included Leadership and Governance, Investment and Sustainability, Infrastructure (Device Management), Legislation, Policy, and Compliance. Additional areas such as Communication and Collaboration, Continuous Professional Development, Cybersecurity and Safety, Software Development, Data Science, Systems Administration, and Database Administration were also covered.

The results were shared during a meeting held in Livingstone with the MOH, Smart Zambia and key stakeholders, offering a crucial baseline for ongoing and future digital health development efforts.

And Innocent Chiboma Principal ICT Officer – Digital Health under the Ministry of Health said this collaborative effort underscores the importance of ICT in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of health service delivery in Zambia.

Mr Chiboma alluded that the data gathered will be instrumental in guiding the future of digital health initiatives, ensuring that they are not only keeping pace with global advancements but are also setting the stage for sustained improvements in health systems.

Moses Mwale, a Data Management Officer from Evidence for Health (E4H), described the meeting as both productive and insightful, particularly in relation to strengthening the ICT sector within the government. “The meeting provided a valuable assessment of the current state of the ICT sector at the provincial level, revealing important insights,” he said.

Another participant, John Kabwe, Provincial ICT Officer for Northern Province under MOH, described the meeting as a success, noting that it provided valuable insights and identified concrete steps for enhancing ICT services within the government. “I am encouraged to continue working towards improving ICT infrastructure and services to support the government’s goals and objectives,” he said.