Data as a Public Good: building data systems and competency for AMR surveillance

For most countries that would like to invest in data and information and overall digital health for their health care system, it is likely that they may not have the expertise within the MOH to adequately budget for and drive such initiatives on an annual basis.

Ministries of Health are used to procuring consumables such as diagnostics instruments and assays – but informatics/surveillance/digital health require a different set of skills and expertise.

Mr Brad Cunningham, who has been instrumental in building digital data systems for the tuberculosis programme in South Africa speaks of the key challenges facing governments today with regard to data security and data governance and how countries can build the capacity and competency to have data systems that can be used for pandemic response and antimicrobial resistance.