How can we use ICT to Reduce COVID 19.

 

kampala international university

school of mathematics and computing.

 

course: MASTER OF SCIENCE SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

 

COURSE UNIT: ICT FOR DEVELOPMENT

 

COURSE CODE:

 

NAME: ALOYO SUSAN

 

REG NO: 2020-01-01127

 

lecturer: prof. zaake

 

session: day

 

year: one

 

semester: one

 

 

question:  how can we use ict to reduce covid 19?

Introduction

According to AJAYI, O. O (2009), ICT can be defined as a TECHNOLOGICAL means of COLLECTING (inputting/gathering), COLLATING (processing/analyzing), and CONVEYING (outputting/transferring) INFORMATION via TECHNOLOGY. In the context of a global pandemic (COVID 19) which has hit the entire world and scientists seems almost defeated on the most effective way to reduce the spread of this deadly Monster, ICT has played effective role in ensuring that this disease’s means of infection is reduced as explained below;

A)     ICT FOR IMMEDIATE RELIEF & MEDICAL RESPONSE            

·         Testing and Diagnosis.

At the inception of every successful containment strategy, an accurate portrait of who is infected and who they have infected has to be established.  This has been a difficult task for most nations of the world as far as dealing with the pandemic is concerned. In this case, ICT plays a major role in addressing human resource constraints and geographical limitations. For example, testing for COVID-19 involves conducting a simple genetic sequencing of the residue from a nasal swab, which seeks to identify the well-documented, telltale RNA patterns of the novel coronavirus. As this process requires no particularly specialized medical knowledge, batches of tests can easily be processed and massed at scale and on site with the aid of technology to identify these sequences hence saving time between suspected cases and actual diagnosis.

·         Patient-Centric Record Keeping and Case Management.

Tracking and treatment can be used as a component of e-health and Electronic Health Records. Given the fact that pandemic brings in heavy burden of data management which health systems must adhere to in order to control the advances of the disease, Health service providers must be able and ready to history of patients who tested positive to be accessed as a means of determining any risk factors that may be associated with the patient’s behaviour.

Epidemic trackers must also be prepared to pursue the primary, secondary, and tertiary contacts of those who have tested positive for COVID 19, a constantly shifting and evolving task which can only be completed rapidly enough to contain the advance of the disease with the assistance of data analytics and data management technology.

·         Contact Tracing and Investigation.

Once positive cases have been identified through a scaled-up, widespread testing program, the next phase of preventative measures within a containment program involves identifying those individuals who have potentially contracted the disease by coming into contact with a carrier. Traditionally, this process involves a highly labour-intensive in-person investigative program. Such programs are not only time-consuming, wasting one of the most precious resources available to health officials when combatting a disease outbreak. In addition, these investigators often must don extensive full-body Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to guard against traveling to potentially infectious environments, risking their own health, and possibly even becoming vectors for the disease themselves.

Fortunately, advances in ICT have made contact tracing without the invasive presence of these medical teams far more feasible. Where personal technology such as smartphones are widespread and institutional trust is high, as in the East Asian countries which have most successfully battled the coronavirus so far, the tracing process can almost entirely be automated. Where such technology is not prevalent, or where low levels of societal trust may inhibit compliance with quarantine measures, low-tech applications of ICT can augment more traditional tracing approaches. By adding a human touch to what would otherwise be a highly impersonal process, these approaches can bolster a sense of social solidarity and personalized care which is essential for maintaining the cohesiveness of society throughout the long trajectory of the crisis.

Telemedicine during a pandemic.

Regardless of the symptoms, characteristics or deadliness of any particular disease, the greatest challenge faced by any health system during a pandemic is the sheer number of cases which must be processed within a short amount of time. The threat of hospitals being overwhelmed by a surge of life-threatening cases beyond their capacity to treat has been the motivating force behind appeals to “flatten the curve,” or slow the spread of the disease enough that the peak number of cases where hospitalization is necessary remains below the ceiling of total hospital treatment capacity. Even so, however, in the worst hotspots, the universal shortage of hospital space means that routine and nonessential consultations must be done outside of traditional spaces. Even for a disease as potentially severe as COVID-19, patients who have not come down with symptoms which absolutely require hospitalization have been requested to remain home in order to preserve space for the worst cases. Likewise, going to the hospital now poses such a significant risk of exposure that many patients wishing to undertake nonessential procedures have been turned away both for their own safety and to reduce the risk of further spread.

In such a constrained environment, telemedicine becomes an essential tool for maintaining public health, for those who have tested positive for the disease and for those with more routine conditions alike. Telemedicine is an umbrella term referring to the many ways in which ICT can be engaged in the service of health care without necessitating personal contact between physicians and the sick. This ranges from the low-tech, such as phone calls and text messaging between patients and doctors, to more advanced techniques involving wearable medical devices and high-resolution imaging software

 

 

 B) TREATMENT

Enforcing Quarantines and Social Distancing.

ICT can contribute to the enforcement of quarantines for the sick, and ICT tools have seen successful applications in various East Asian nations so far. However, a careful balance must still be struck between transparency of information provided and protection of privacy, should the social stigma resulting from becoming a publicized patient and potential spreader prove as deadly as the disease.

 

Applied AI and Machine Learning for Tracking and Treatment.

Several months into the global Corona virus pandemic, most medical experts have remained in the dark without know what exactly to do as far the treatment of COVID 19 Is concerned. Anti-malarial drugs such as hydroxychloroquine and   anti-bacterial azithromycin were used to limit the symptoms of the disease but this was not sufficient enough as disease symptoms keep changing and keeping track of data related to COVID 19 was a big challenge.

In opaque and complicated drug development scenarios, AI and machine learning techniques have provided a way forward for identifying new compounds or pre-existing drugs which could meet the need for a new treatment. In the normal drug development pipeline, biologically useful compounds are systematically modified using techniques such as 3D molecular structure prediction, ligand design, and docking. With sufficient provision of data, AI offers the chance to accelerate this pipeline through deep analysis of data from research results, clinical trials, and even the biology of the cell itself

Hospital Management.

Improved implementation of ICT plays a clear role in the testing and tracking process, specifically in streamlining the communication of EHRs between patients, laboratories and medical providers. But ICT will also play a critical part in assuring that hospitals themselves continue to run smoothly, and that doctors are insulated to the greatest degree possible from the stress of rapidly rising caseloads, insufficient resources, and heart breaking moral dilemmas. By fully integrating EHRs into patient care, clinicians can keep consistent track of specific patients’ needs without having to waste valuable time pulling information from an opaque system. Digital schedule management can adaptively shift staffing to surge personnel during times of high anticipated need while giving doctors and nurses much-needed rest during anticipated lulls. And should hospitals reach the point where triage of patients becomes necessary, clinical algorithms can help make objective, humane decisions about which resources to direct to which patients’ in an appropriate way.

C)  ICT FOR PREVENTION AND LONG TERM RESILLENCY OF COVID 19 PANDEMIC.

As a matter of fact, COVID 19 pandemic will come to an end and medical systems will be relieved from the constant pressure and economic strain. This can be achieved by;

More Robust and Elastic Medical Supply Chains

One of the most striking characteristics of the noble Corona Virus pandemic has been the mass shortages of PPE and other essential equipment, such as ventilators, that medical personnel have had to deal with. Doctors on the front lines have been reduced to wearing ski goggles, homemade face masks and even rain ponchos from cancelled sports matches in an effort to give themselves some degree of protection against this highly contagious virus, particularly during dangerous procedures such as intubation which are necessary for the treatment of severe cases.

 

ICT has facilitated coordination between unlikely industries across sectors to create ad-hoc supply chains out of whole cloth. Sewing cooperatives, responding to urgent online appeals by hospitals, have manufactured face masks from material found at home according to patterns published online and distributed them directly to first responders. Perfumeries and whiskey distilleries have converted their facilities over to the production of hand sanitizer.

 

Mitigating Economic Impact.

During the global pandemic outbreak, lockdowns have been enforced in different countries of the world and this was bad news for several businesses ranging from small scale to large scale as governments try to contain the spread of the noble Corona Virus disease.  This meant serious economic strain to individuals and companies as most of the business clients could not access goods and services. ICT has continuously played a vital room in ensuring that people work from their homes and customers can order goods and services from home and deliveries done.  This ensured there was social distancing hence reducing major economic impact of COVID 19. Such apps include Jumia, Jiji, kuku and even Mobile money transactions. Banking apps etc.

Information Dissemination through Social Media and Online Tools.

Information about the Corona Virus diseases have been spread to different social Media plat forms to ensure compliance with the different countries guidelines.

Conclusion.

With the above roles and contribution, ICT has created a big positive impact in the fight against the global Corona Virus Pandemic. However, ICT should not be mistaken for a cure for COVID 19.  The cure is not yet found although several clinical trials are underway to ensure proper cure for the virus is found. 

The tracking process of COVID 19 patients should not be used as an avenue to violate their privacy rights.

 

References.

Alp ICT. “Covid-19: How Digital Helps to Counter the Epidemic?”

 

Broad, William J. “A.I. Versus the Coronavirus.” The New York Times. March 26, 2020.

 

Brodwin, Erin. “At-home tests for coronavirus are here. Should you take them?” STAT News, March 20, 2020.