Integration of multiple geospatial applications and intelligence for responding to COVID-19 in Ghana

OBJECTIVE: We describe the use of integrated geospatial applications for the provision of access to timely and accurate data on samples, visualisation of Spatio-temporal patterns of cases and effective communication between field sample collectors, testing laboratories, Regional Health directors and Government Decision Makers. DESIGN: This study describes how an integrated geospatial platform based on case location and intelligence was developed and used for effective COVID-19 response during the initial stages of COVID-19 in Ghana. DATA SOURCE: Collector for ArcGIS, ArcGIS Survey123 MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: successful development and deployment of integrated geospatial applications and analytics. RESULTS: The Collector for ArcGIS app was customised to collect COVID-19 positive cases location information. Survey 123 was introduced as a COVID-19 contact tracing application to digitise the case-based forms and provide real-time results from the laboratories to GHS and other stakeholders. The laboratory backend allowed the testing laboratories access to specific information about each patient (sample) collected by the fieldworkers. The regional supervisors' backend web application provided accessing test results for confidentiality and timely communication of results. CONCLUSION: Geospatial platforms were successfully established in Ghana to provide timely results to Regional Health Directors and Government decision-makers. This helped to improve the timeliness of response and contact tracing at the district level. FUNDING: The development and deployment of the application, COVID-19 pandemic response and writing workshop by the Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (GFELTP) was supported with funding from President Malaria Initiative – CDC, and Korea International Cooperation Agency (on CDC CoAg 6NU2GGH001876) through AFENET and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Results for Development (R4D).