The National Agency for Geospatial Development, Public Institute (ADE - IP) is supporting the Ministry of Health and UNICEF in designing a Digital Health Map for the RED-REC Micro Planning project.

This is a project, the pilot phase of which is being implemented in the districts of Guro and Mocuba, in the provinces of Manica and Zambézia respectively, which aims to provide access to basic health services for all districts, communities and children.

The initiative, which is set to expand to more provinces, aims to enable health centers and posts to better manage their medical resources so that they are closer to the population, regardless of their location.

In fact, ADE has been training health professionals in the use of geolocation tools, to make it easier to identify concentration points that can serve as health center extensions, bringing them closer and more accessible to the population.

The digitization of health maps brings with it a number of significant benefits for society. Sérgio Niquisse, a specialist in geospatial intelligence at ADE, explains that "firstly, it improves the distribution and management of available resources, allowing for a more efficient and equitable allocation, and secondly, it assists in the planning and management of human resources, ensuring that health professionals are allocated appropriately to meet the needs of communities".

According to the ADE, mapping and the use of maps provide valuable information for strategic planning and optimization of health services.

The use of these tools has the potential to improve the quality of life of the communities served and to help promote equity in access to health services.

For this reason, the ADE recommends that health professionals use the standard operating procedures guide for collecting geographical coordinates.

It also advises using the maps to identify nearby children and population clusters, with the aim of generating a positive impact on the quality of services offered, evidence-based decision-making and strengthening the health system as a whole.

Just recently, the Agency held a training session on 'Digitizing Health Maps for RED/REC Micro-Planning' (Reach Every District, Reach Every Community and Child) in the province of Manica. The training took place in the city of Chimoio and was attended by around 30 health professionals, who will now be able to collect data and interpret the digital health maps.

The National Geospatial Development Agency thus wants to provide tools and teach standard operating procedures for collecting the geographical coordinates of concentration points or communities, with the ultimate aim of improving the living conditions of communities.