The Rockefeller Foundation and ACCESS Health International Launch a Report Uncovering the Role of Digital Technology in Tackling Covid-19
New York, September 09, 2020 — The Rockefeller Foundation and ACCESS Health International today launched a new report on the important role digital technology can play in response to pandemics like Covid-19. The report, titled Tackling Covid-19 Pandemic through Integrating Digital Technology and Public Health: Linking Experiences in China to the World, offers governments and business leaders around the world key insights from China’s experiences in tackling Covid-19, with the aim of further enabling effective responses against the virus.
With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, ACCESS Health International conducted a systematic study, documenting and sharing both policy initiatives and technology solutions used to support the public health system in China throughout the pandemic.
Dr. Chang Liu, Regional Director for Greater China and Southeast Asia, ACCESS Health International stated, “China was the first country impacted by the novel virus and is now the first market in the world to reopen its economy following the outbreak. Digital technology has been critical to the country’s success, as well as the important role played by those in the public and private sectors. We hope that this report and China’s experience will help in other markets, especially those still suffering from the pandemic.”
The report offers an in-depth understanding of the actions and strategies implemented by the government, the role digital technology played, the technologies used, and the impact made across six outbreak response categories including fast response, epidemiological studies, diagnosis and treatment, supportive activities, long-term management and comprehensive disease control system.
Deepali Khanna, Managing-Director of The Rockefeller Foundation’s Asia Regional Office said, “As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to devastate nations across the world, this report is an attempt to document and share experiences of effective strategies in the fight against the global pandemic. Most strategies have pointed to the immense importance of incorporating data and technology into our public health systems and emergency response plans. The Rockefeller Foundation has been focusing on mitigating the impacts of the crisis by supporting countries to build technology innovations, expand smart testing, and leverage data insights to direct the right interventions to the right people at the right time.”
Findings in the report show that applications of digital technology in Covid-19 pandemic responses successfully helped mitigate and overcome some of the greatest challenges including how to quickly diagnose and treat those who are ill, how to prevent ongoing transmission of the virus, and how to manage this disease and other infectious diseases like it over the long term. The report includes twelve case studies to illustrate digital solutions in different scenarios, and documents key success factors for each case study across three levels: government, social and enterprise.
To download the report, please visit: https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/report/tackling-covid-19-pandemic-through-integrating-digital-technology-and-public-health