How use of geographic information systems is reshaping healthcare

Public health efforts have been based on analysis and use of location (geospatial) data for many years.

Dr John Snow, often credited as the father of epidemiology (the study of causes of diseases), became famous for applying geospatial analysis to investigate a cholera outbreak in England in the 1850s.

Geographic information systems (GIS) are spatial data management systems. They can integrate, store, adjust, analyse and arrange geographically referenced information.

They can also generate interactive spatial or descriptive questions on research, analyse spatial data, adapt and adopt them in analogue or digital media.

The use of GIS is increasingly being appreciated in healthcare. GIS, for example, can be used to map the distribution of households and accessibility of health facilities and assess the distribution of diseases.

Investigation of spatial patterns of disease occurrence is a foundation of epidemiology, providing valuable information on possible causes of the disease of interest and methods that may be used for disease control and prevention.

The geospatial pattern of disease in space may be investigated simply by mapping points or areas and visually examining such maps for patterns. This quickly enables drawing attention to characteristics unlikely to be noticed by visual inspection only, hence guide solutions to the problems.

Recently, there have been exciting developments in the use of GIS in Kenya. These include the launch of the National Geospatial Data Center, the National Geological Database, National Addressing System of Kenya, Kenya National Spatial Data Infrastructure, Online Mining Cadastre, ArdhiSasa Digital Platform, Nairobi Revenue System and Airborne Geophysical Survey.

In Kisumu, the county government has partnered with Google to geolocate thousands of households and businesses in the city. This has an incredible potential of opening up huge opportunities in provision of essential health services and commerce.