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  3. Person-centred information needs towards building resilient health systems for health security: A decolonising situational perspective

Research project

Person-centred information needs towards building resilient health systems for health security: A decolonising situational perspective

  • Start date: 8 December 2021
  • End date: 8 February 2023
  • Funder: Sustainable Development Fund
  • Value: £15,000
  • Partners and collaborators: Dr O Ogundaini (University of South Africa (UNISA) Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL), Midrand, South Africa); Dr D Nyatuka (Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya); Prof R de la Harpe (Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Cape Town, South Africa); Dr E Wamicha (Strathmore University Nairobi, Kenya); Dr I Sibuyi (National Department of health (NDoH) South Africa & Anova Health institute); Ms C Settley (Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Cape Town, South Africa)
  • Primary investigator: Professor Lisa-Dionne Morris
  • External co-investigators: Dr O Ogundaini (University of South Africa (UNISA) Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL), Midrand, South Africa]; Dr D Nyatuka (Strathmore University, Nairobe, Kenya)

Person-centred information needs towards building resilient health systems for health security: A decolonising situational perspective | Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences | University of Leeds

This project will co-develop and evaluate a trans-disciplinary approach with individual action projects focusing on specific country situations with an umbrella project that guides the overall aim. The project will assess the extent to which it is important to unpack what decolonisation of information means in the UK and Global South context as it impacts the individual’s lived situation from their perspective within specific communities in the UK, Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria.

The overall umbrella project will oversee individual action projects. The proposed approach builds on the Key concepts relevant to this project:

  • Health systems -> Health Information System -> Health Information - > Health Information for the individual relevant to their situation
  • Health security – protection against acute public health events
  • Levels: Supranational – National – intermediate – community – individual
  • Context: Global (Me5+), LMIC (South Africa and Kenya)/HIC(UK)(Me4+), Country (Me3+), Community (Me2+), Key Population (Me+), Person’s Situation (Me)
  • Cause – acute public health event
  • Health Security Agencies: Global Health Security Agenda Agencies, Governments (National, regional, and local authorities), Health Institutions

The project builds on work conducted through: Participatory Development with the Youth (PARTY); an Horizon2020 EU Research and Innovation program, to identify and codesign tools that would facilitate new service practices in redressing social challenges experienced by youths @risk in South Africa (2017-2018): https://www.ulapland.fi/EN/Webpages/PARTY  

UNICEF: Development of Enhanced Single Registry. A consolidated database of vulnerable groups, households, and individuals in the country

  • ESR project  Development of the cash transfer information systems that delivers cash benefits to registered social protection beneficiaries in Kenya
  • CCTP-MIS project 
  • Development of a nutrition management information system for delivery of cash benefits in Kenya to pregnant and lactating mothers and children under the age of 2
  • NICHE project  An Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), as part of UK Research and Innovation’s rapid response to Covid-19. Grant Reference ES/W001780/1. (ESRC), as part of UK Research and Innovation’s rapid response to Covid-19. Grant Reference ES/W001780/1.

Research overview

This study contributes towards building resilient health systems through proactive and reactive capability-sensitive design activities that minimize vulnerability of individuals and groups within complex communities with a focus on their information needs. The expected outcome will be transformed situations that equip key populations (KPs) for essential health information and services during acute public health events.

Impact

In collaboration with our organisational partners, the project will deliver action objectives:

  • UK: Build on information and information technology used in associated global health security programmes.
  • South Africa: Determine the relevant information needs of KPs within the South African health system through service design methods towards building a context-specific stakeholder-inclusive innovation for equitable access to and continuity of essential health information and services in the public sector.
  • Nigeria and Kenya: Develop information and communication technology enabled people-centred health and wellbeing service framework to assess the inter-relationship between Social Protection Delivery Systems and Health Information Systems Security in underserved context. Increase integration of healthcare services 

Current and recent projects include: 

As a consultancy project with the Government of Kenya, World Food Programme, Development Pathways and UNICEF:  Development of Enhanced Single Registry. A consolidated database of vulnerable groups, households, and individuals in the country:

  • ESR project  Development of the cash transfer information systems that delivers cash benefits to registered social protection beneficiaries in Kenya
  • CCTP-MIS  project  Development of a nutrition management information system for delivery of cash benefits in Kenya to pregnant and lactating mothers and children under the age of 2 
  • NICHE project