The Disease Surveillance and Response Unit (DSRU) of the Public Health Authority  is well on its way to achieving its goal of conducting comprehensive web-based surveys thanks to the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Airtel.

The MoU was signed yesterday by the public health commissioner Dr Jude Gedeon and chief executive of Airtel, Amadou Dina, in the presence of the Minister for Health Jean-Paul Adam and other health officials.

Through the understanding, Airtel will provide MiFi devices with a monthly data of 10 Gigabytes each to be used by the DSRU for monitoring. A MiFi is a wireless router that acts a mobile WiFi hotspot to provide internet almost anywhere.

The MoU also makes provisions for tablets -- each accompanied with a smartphone -- to improve the collection and collation of statistics especially during on-the-field surveys.

These gadgets were also handed over to Dr Gedeon and Minister Adam during yesterday’s signing ceremony.

The donations made under the MoU are expected to greatly improve the day-to-day operations of DSRU by improving communication between health professionals and will facilitate the sharing of information in regards to disease surveillance.

“We are providing you with tools that are going to help you so that you will not need to come back to the office to provide information,” Mr Dina said during his remarks.

He further stated that Airtel felt it necessary to support the DSRU because of the unit’s important roles in monitoring and responding to any disease outbreak in the country.

Meanwhile, Dr Gedeon explained that the DSRU mode of surveillance has shifted towards web-based surveillance rather than conventional paper-based surveillance.

“Our staff are excellently trained and are very efficient, and they will make excellent use of these tools. As you know, sometimes we may have the will to do the work but the resources fall short when it comes to important tools, and these devices will be of great assistance.”

He described the move towards web-based surveillance -- now boosted through Airtel’s cooperation -- as “a step forward and a new chapter”.

Minister Adam's additional remarks highlighted the importance of such a MoU in the day and age of rapid digitisation and globalisation. “The understanding is very important in this modern day of globalisation, which of course refers to the globalisation of technology and movement of people and goods. But it's also the globalisation of diseases and risks so it is important in a small country like Seychelles for all partners to contribute to building our resilience against these threats.”

Dr Jastin Bibi, the senior registrar at the DSRU, explained that the initiative to include more technology in the running of the unit started in 2011.

“Our disease surveillance system is already web-based; our server has a connection with all of the clinics, hospitals as well as some private clinics,” Dr Bibi underlined.

He further added that the DSRU is working to strengthening its partnership with private-owned medical facilities.

“Because we are extending our reach, we need more technological tools to work with and Airtel's decision to donate and carry out this exercise with our unit is incredible. We hope that other companies also do so.”

The MoU between the two parties will be valid for one year, however, the unit will have to provide Airtel with a report on their surveillance activities after which the MoU might be renewed.