VIDA PLUS: The Most Accessible Official Public Health Data Insights

Christophe Bocquet of Dalberg Global Development Advisors (K) Ltd. in Kenya will develop VIDA PLUS, a chatbot accessible via WhatsApp that delivers public health information by live interaction to health officials, particularly in rural areas, to support their decision-making. Accessing relevant public health information is often challenging for health workers in rural areas who have limited access to technology and data literacy. Initially in Guinea, they will integrate GPT-3.5-Turbo into the national health management information system (HMIS), which comprises data on health outcomes, health facilities and utilization, and disease surveillance. This will enable health officials to ask questions on topics such as maternal health, infections, vaccinations, and hospitalization, and receive tailored answers via WhatsApp. Health officials will be involved in the design, deployment, and testing stages, and they will also plan the scale-up, including a cost and impact analysis.