Public Health Informatics: Implementation and Governance in Resource-Limited Settings

Digital health is becoming a key solution to improve access and quality healthcare delivery through overcompensating geographical barriers and facilitating evidence-based decision-making. Big data, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, machine learning and other technologies are playing an enormous role in the advancement of public health. Public health informatics is an emerging concept becoming to improve access and quality as well as reduce catastrophic health expenditure.

Public Health Informatics: Implementation and Governance in Resource-Limited Settings is designed to provide insight for public health practitioners, technologists and healthcare workers to the use of digital technologies in public health especially those based in otherwise resource-limited settings. It is therefore vital reading for stakeholders who strive to set policy, guidelines and establish infrastructures to reduce the digital-divide in healthcare delivery.

Dr. Kassahun D Gashu, A former field epidemiologist under the African Union, responding to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. He earned his PhD in public health informatics in 2022. His doctoral focused on implementing a tailored digital health solution to improve adherence to patient-centred TB treatment. Currently, he’s a researcher in the department of health informatics at the University of Gondar. He has published various research articles related to digital health and health information systems. He has over 20 years of experience in academia and health system research.  Dr. Gashu has participated in the development of four books namely; eHealth, Routine health Information system, Fundamentals of Health Informatics, Healthcare programs. This collaborative effort involved ten local universities and the Ethiopian ministry of health.

Dr. Zeleke Abebaw Mekonnen is a Policy, Strategy and Research Analyst in the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health and Assistant  Professor of Health informatics at the University of Gondar. He received his PhD in Public Health Informatics in 2021 from the University of Gondar in partnership with the University of South Eastern Norway. His PhD research project was focusing on assessing the effect of mHealth solutions in improving the complete and timely provision of childhood vaccination in a resource limited settings of Ethiopia. He has more than 13 years of experience in health program management, academics and research. Dr. Zeleke has also participated in development of the four books listed above and has published more than 60 research articles in the areas of health system, public health, digital heath and health information systems.

Dr. Moges A. Chanyalew is a Director of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Directorate, Amhara Region Health Bureau. He received his PhD in Public Health Informatics from University of Gondar in 2022. His PhD work focused on improving data quality and data use through engagement of higher education in capacity building and mentorship program in the health information system of Ethiopia. He has more than 18 years of experience in health program administration and research. He has published 18 articles related to data quality and use, digital health implementation, and health information systems.

Mr. Habtamu Alganeh Guadie is an assistant professor of Health Informatics Bahir Dar University and currently the head of department of Health System Management and Health Economics in the University. He has eight years of experience in research, technology and teaching. He has published more than 20 articles in peer reviewed national and international journals related to digital health, spatial analysis and health information systems.