App predicting dengue cases launched in Karnataka

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday launched the dengue surveillance dashboard developed by the AI and Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK) at the Indian Institute of Science.

The dashboard will provide a four-week predictive risk map of outbreaks to state-  and district-level officials so that they can be prepared for outbreaks and conduct disease-control activities.

It will also provide maps of current outbreaks at the district- and sub-district levels, along with case trends over the years, for better monitoring and for making data-driven decisions. Based on this data, local health officials will be able to undertake real-time disease monitoring at the ward or village levels, and plan actions like testing and surveys.

ARTPARK is standardising data from multiple sources for improved analysis, Rao said.

Additionally, ARTPARK has developed a mobile app that Asha workers can use to capture real-time data from fever and larval surveys. Spraymen can use the app for source-reduction activities, and healthcare workers for training and awareness. Health officers will be able to verify and review these activities on the app as well.

While the dashboard and app are currently for dengue surveillance, it will be expanded to cover other diseases over time.