How can health informatics innovation be supported in South Sudan?

Creating an enabling environment for health informatics innovation in South Sudan requires: investment in digital infrastructure (internet connectivity, power supply, devices); development of health informatics skills through education and training; creation of innovation hubs and incubators where health informatics entrepreneurs can develop and test ideas; supportive regulatory frameworks that allow digital health innovations to be piloted and scaled; and funding mechanisms for health informatics research and innovation. SSHIA is advocating for all of these elements as part of its national health informatics strategy.

International partnerships are important for bringing innovation to South Sudan. SSHIA is working with global health informatics organisations to identify proven innovations from other low-resource settings that could be adapted for South Sudan. The Digital Health Atlas is a useful resource for identifying innovations that have been successfully implemented in similar contexts.