A comprehensive mobile application tool for disease surveillance, workforce management and supply chain management for Malaria Elimination Demonstration Project

Abstract

Background Health care technologies are now offering accountability, quality, robustness, and accuracy in disease surveillance and health care delivery programmes. With the advent of mobile hand-held devices, these technologies have become more accessible and adaptable for use by field staff working in remote areas. The Malaria Elimination Demonstration Project started collection of data and conduct of routine operations using paper-based reporting systems. Observing the need for a robust and quality digital mobile application, a comprehensive mobile application tool was developed that allowed the project to conduct disease surveillance, workforce management and supply chain management. Methods In June 2017, the project conceptualized a comprehensive mobile application tool in the local language (Hindi) for disease surveillance, human resources management, and supply chain management. The tool is also available in English. Solution for Community Health-workers (SOCH) mobile app is an android native application developed using android SDK and web-based tool using MVC.net framework. Construction of the application started in November 2017 and rolled out its pilot in April 2018, followed by pan-district roll out in July 2018. The application uses self-validation tools to ensure high level of data quality and integrity. Results The software is available in android based hand-held devices and web-screens with built-in data analytical capabilities. Using SOCH, the project has now successfully digitized its routine surveillance, attendance, tour plans, supply chain management components. The project has documented a reduction in 91% indigenous cases in the district, 60% improvement in stock accountability, and 99.6% accuracy in data collected through the mobile application. Conclusion SOCH is an excellent and user-friendly tool, which can be customized for any public health management programme. The system ensures accountability and data robustness, which is needed for malaria elimination efforts throughout the country. The mobile application can be adapted for English or any other Indian or international language for use for malaria or any other disease surveillance and control programme. Another expansion feature of this mobile application is incorporation of indicators for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS), Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs), and minor engineering by the residents of community under surveillance. The authors believe that it would be highly desirable and appropriate for an international organization, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), to conduct an independent comparison of all available mobile e-surveillance tools, so that a high-performing and globally suitable system can be selected for use in malaria elimination programmes. The Foundation of Disease Elimination and Controlof India has decided to make the SOCH mobile application available to anyone who would like to use it for disease surveillance and health care programmes.

Monitoring of the Village Malaria Workers to conduct activities of Malaria Elimination Demonstration Project in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

“…This was because of MEDP’s strong focus on these indicators since the beginning of the field operations [ 15 , 18 ]. Additionally, the mobile application surveillance tool (SOCH) was introduced in July 2018, which further improved the overall accountability, reporting, and supply chain management systems [ 27 ].…”

“…In this study, the adequate stock was available in 93.3% of VMW areas during the entire year and 97.8% in the high-transmission season. It was observed that despite using the Solutions for Community Healthworkers (SOCH) mobile application [ 27 ], few situations of medicines and diagnostics stock-outs arose due to interruption in raising of stock requests by the VMWs. These interruptions included human error, mobile network, and hardware issues.…”

Development and On-Field Deployment of a Mobile-Based Application ‘MoSQuIT’ for Malaria Surveillance in International Border Districts of Northeast India—Challenges and Opportunities

“…In India, the malaria control system (MCS) used in Mangaluru city, Karnataka, was able to document a significant reduction in malaria incidence in terms of slide positivity rate (SPR) and annual parasite incidence (API) over five years, during which, the system was employed [ 7 ]. Similarly, the Solution for Community Health Workers (SOCH) mobile application deployed in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh documented a 91% reduction of indigenous malaria cases in the district [ 8 ]. These reductions were possible due to regular and timely intervention by the respective health authorities in terms of enforcing vector control measures.…”

“…This system collects surveillance data through an Android tablet with in-built geographical information system (GIS) tagging and transmits the data, which can be accessed through a web-based system [ 7 ]. Similarly, a mobile application tool known as SOCH (Solution for Community Health Workers) was implemented in 2017 for real-time malaria surveillance and reporting in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh [ 8 ]. Even in Northeast India, the FeverTracker app has recently been deployed for active malaria surveillance in 19 tribal villages in Tripura’s Dhalai district [ 9 ].…”

Validation of a Mobile Health Technology Platform (FeverTracker) for Malaria Surveillance in India: Development and Usability Study

“…The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) of India is the largest surveillance network in the world [ 2 ]. Despite a well-defined active and passive surveillance system and a decreasing trend in malaria cases, gross discrepancies between reported malaria incidence in India, and the estimated malaria cases in the WHO published World Malaria Report have been noted [ 10 , 11 ]. A recent study estimated malaria incidence to be four-fold greater than one million reported by the NVBDCP but three-fold less than 13 million estimated by the WHO, whereas the estimated deaths were 93-fold more than the average 313 deaths reported by the national malaria program in 2015-2016 [ 12 ].…”