Objectives
The Health GIS Centre will aim to achieve its objectives by increasing the effective implementation of GIS as a health management and decision support tool. GIS provide a mechanism to integrate different data sets, analyse their spatial and statistical components, and model possible scenarios. As such, the technology supports interdisciplinary research. Its use will encourage the ongoing collection and analysis of accurate spatial and statistical data for disease control and resource distribution. GIS applications require appropriate data, mechanisms for distribution, as well as expertise and technical support. This will be supported by appropriate skills transfer and a methodology manual to provide guidance on the use of GIS in the field of health. The Health GIS Centre will continue to develop its GIS data repository and consult with both MRC Programmes and outside organisations that require assistance in incorporating a spatial component to their research.
History
The NMRP was approached, in 1997, by the Health Systems Trust (HST) to undertake, on behalf of the Department of Health, an EU-funded project to digitally capture the new health boundaries for the country, evaluate the ReHMIS database of health facility positions and names, and recommend how this process should be taken forward. In October 1997, Drs Brian Sharp and David le Sueur approached the EMC to outline the need for and advantages to the MRC of extending GIS in health research beyond malaria. Recognising the importance of GIS, the EMC approved the establishment of the MRC's Health GIS Centre (HGC) towards providing accessible GIS support within the MRC.
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