Global Medical Innovation, Data Advancement Driving Community Health Says Experts

By Tosin Clegg

Global health informatics experts, including leading researchers from Europe, Africa, and the United States, have harped on medical innovation and data-driven solutions to transform community health systems.

In a recent media statement, the experts stressed that breaking data silos and improving system interoperability are vital to strengthening global health and delivering equitable care.

The statement highlighted DHIS2 as a major driver of this shift, describing it as an open-source platform now used in over 80 countries to improve how health data is gathered, analyzed, and applied to strengthen local health responses.

Dipak Kalra, President of the European Institute for Innovation through Health Data, underscored the importance of system connectivity in improving healthcare outcomes.

“Health data must move freely between institutions and communities,” he said in the statement. “When information is trapped in silos, its potential to save lives is lost.”

Evidence of DHIS2’s impact is already visible across Africa, Asia, and Europe.

A recent review in Ethiopia highlighted improvements in immunization coverage, antenatal care, and district-level accountability.

Iain Buchan of the University of Liverpool noted that the platform is changing how routine health data is perceived.

“Data collection is no longer just about filling forms, it is becoming the driver of real-time decisions that strengthen public health,” he observed.

In the United States, the system is being adapted to address pressing health challenges.

In Indiana, Adepoju Adekola George, a Nigerian physician and health informatics researcher at Indiana University Indianapolis, is implementing DHIS2 dashboards to address suicide prevention and substance abuse in rural communities.

He asserts in the statement, “Innovation in informatics must begin with the underserved; When communities have access to timely, reliable data, they are better prepared to respond to crises and prevent avoidable loss of life.”

German health informatics scholar Bernd Blobel emphasized that building trust is central to the success of health technology initiatives, warning that technology alone cannot solve complex healthcare issues.

“For communities to thrive, digital platforms must be secure, interoperable, and designed with people at the center,” he said. “Only then can data-driven health systems earn long-term confidence.”

Similarly, Adepoju Daniel Adeyemi, also a Nigerian physician and informatics researcher at Indiana University Indianapolis, is focusing his research on integrating social determinants of health into DHIS2 dashboards to promote equitable care.

“You cannot separate health outcomes from the social challenges people face every day,” Daniel emphasized. “By embedding social support data into DHIS2 dashboards, we are equipping communities to respond not only to illness but to the root causes of inequity.”

These experts collective work continues to shape digital health strategies that strengthen healthcare delivery and set a benchmark for sustainable innovation in public health.