Journal:Blockchain and artificial intelligence technology for novel coronavirus disease 2019 self-testing

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Full article title Blockchain and artificial intelligence technology for novel coronavirus disease 2019 self-testing
Journal Diagnostics
Author(s) Mashamba-Thompson, Tivani P.; Crayton, Ellen D.
Author affiliation(s) University of Limpopo, Genesis Technology and Management Group
Primary contact Email: tivani dot mashamba at ul dot ac dot za
Year published 2020
Volume and issue 10(4)
Article # 198
DOI 10.3390/diagnostics10040198
ISSN 2075-4418
Distribution license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Website https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/4/198/htm
Download https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/4/198/pdf (PDF)
Emblem-important-yellow.svg This article should be considered a work in progress and incomplete. Consider this article incomplete until this notice is removed.

Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is rapidly spreading, with a rising death toll and transmission rate reported in high-income countries rather than in low-income countries. However, the overburdened healthcare systems and poor disease surveillance systems in resource-limited settings may struggle to cope with this COVID-19 outbreak, which calls for a tailored strategic response within these settings. Here, we recommend a low-cost blockchain and artificial intelligence-coupled self-testing and tracking system for COVID-19 and other emerging infectious diseases. Prompt deployment and appropriate implementation of the proposed system have the potential to curb the transmission of COVID-19 and its related mortalities, particularly in settings with poor access to laboratory infrastructure.

Keywords: self-testing, novel coronavirus disease-19, blockchain, artificial intelligence

Editorial

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has now reached sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with cases reported in more than 40 SSA countries. SSA health systems are already battling with poor health outcomes and high mortality rates linked to the unique quadruple (HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and non-communicable diseases) burden of disease.[1] In addition, SSA’s dense communities, informal settlements, and rural and resource-limited settings are at particular risk for being vulnerable to the COVID-19 outbreak. These populations are underserved in terms of health services and have the potential to become to new COVID-19 epicenters. The global COVID-19 statistics surprisingly show low transmission rates and fewer deaths in resource-limited countries, particularly countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, while SSA’s young population and warm climate may put SSA at an advantage for coping with the COVID-19 outbreak[2], there is growing concern about the impact of COVID-19 co-infections among the people living with other immune-system-weakening conditions such as HIV, TB, and diabetes, particularly given a struggling health care system in resource-limited settings such as SSA countries.[3][4]

There is a growing concern about a failure to find and report cases, especially given weak health systems, inadequate surveillance, insufficient laboratory capacity, and limited public health infrastructure in African countries.[5] Access to accurate diagnosis, monitoring, and reporting of health outbreaks requires a well-resourced healthcare system.[6] Evidence shows that most resource-limited countries lack an effective, rapid surveillance system.[7] These settings also have a limited availability of health technologies for the electronic surveillance of infectious diseases to facilitate the prevention and containment of emerging infectious diseases such as COVID-19.[7] Universal health coverage, as well as access to high-quality and timely pathology and laboratory medicine (PALM) services, is crucially needed to support healthcare systems that are tasked with achieving sustainable developmental goals.[8] This calls for the rapid development and deployment of health innovations for accurate diagnosis and electronic surveillance of COVID-19 in underserved populations.


References

  1. ↑ Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (2018). "Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017" (PDF). Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. https://www.healthdata.org/sites/default/files/files/policy_report/2019/GBD_2017_Booklet.pdf. Retrieved 25 March 2020. 
  2. ↑ Chopera, D. (24 March 2020). "Can Africa Withstand COVID-19?". Project Syndicate. https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/africa-covid19-advantages-disadvantages-by-denis-chopera-2020-03-2020-03. Retrieved 25 March 2020. 
  3. ↑ Wong, E. (24 March 2020). "TB, HIV and COVID-19: Urgent questions as three epidemics collide". The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/tb-hiv-and-covid-19-urgent-questions-as-three-epidemics-collide-134554. Retrieved 25 March 2020. 
  4. ↑ Powell, A. (27 March 2020). "On-again, off-again looks to be best social-distancing option". The Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/03/how-to-prevent-overwhelming-hospitals-and-build-immunity/. Retrieved 28 March 2020. 
  5. ↑ Whiteside, A. (25 March 2020). "Covid-19 Watch: The World Wakes Up". alan-whiteside.com. https://alan-whiteside.com/2020/03/25/covid-19-watch-the-crisis-deepens-2/. Retrieved 25 March 2020. 
  6. ↑ Herida, M.; Dervaux, B.; Desenclos, J.C. (2016). "Economic Evaluations of Public Health Surveillance Systems: A Systematic Review". European Journal of Public Health 26 (4): 674–80. doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckv250. PMC PMC7108512. PMID 26850905. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7108512. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Rattanaumpawan, P.; Boonyasiri, A.; Vong, S. et al. (2018). "Systematic review of electronic surveillance of infectious diseases with emphasis on antimicrobial resistance surveillance in resource-limited settings". American Journal of Infection Control 46 (2): 139–46. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2017.08.006. PMID 29029814. 
  8. ↑ United Nations (2019). "The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2019" (PDF). United Nations. ISBN 978-92-1-047887-8. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2019/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2019.pdf. Retrieved 19 March 2020. 

Notes

This presentation is faithful to the original, with only a few minor changes to presentation. In some cases important information was missing from the references, and that information was added.

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