Mapping of health innovations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Eastern Mediterranean and selected Arab Countries.

Coordinator, Research and Innovation, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo, Egypt.Independent Public Health Researcher, Muscat, Oman.Independent Public Health Consultant, France.Coordinator, Research and Innovation, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo, Egypt.Arab States Regional Office, United Nations Populations Fund, Cairo, Egypt.Arab States Regional Office, International Communications Union, Cairo, Egypt.

Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de sante de la Mediterranee orientale = al-Majallah al-sihhiyah li-sharq al-mutawassit. 2022;(2):130-143

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 is the first pandemic during which innovative technologies are being used to keep people connected, safe, and productive while being physically and socially apart. Aims: This study aimed to map health innovations in response to the pandemic in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Methods: Health innovations are defined as novel methods, models, processes, products, services, or a combination that produce notable public health impact in people, families, and communities at large. We used two approaches: an online survey using a specially designed data collection tool and a review of publicly available literature using PubMed, IMEMR, Google Scholar, Google, and INSERM search engines. Data collection was conducted between September 2020 and February 2021. Results: We describe 80 innovations in this region, of which 13 were identified through the online survey and 76 via literature review. For the purposes of this paper, we subclassified two-thirds of these innovations (n = 52; 65%) as "digital health innovations", including telehealth and telemedicine, surveillance, and contact tracing. The rest were classified as "non-digital health innovations", including prevention and clinical management. Conclusion: This mapping exercise provides baseline information on response to the pandemic by the public and private sectors, innovation hubs within and outside the region, as well as by entrepreneurs and innovators. In-depth studies measuring the impact of health innovations will likely only become available when the pandemic is under better control and experts are able to assess the replicability, sustainability and scalability of the health innovations introduced.

Methodological quality

Publication Type : Review

Metadata