SORMAS Foundation

🌐 𝗦𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗦 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 In March, the SORMAS Foundation team participated in a workshop organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Surveillance Systems (SRV) and the Open Source Programme Office (OSPO) at the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. The workshop aimed to introduce the WHO SMART Guidelines and the Surveillance Data Standards Initiative and review the Digital Adaptation Kit (DAK) for surveillance. 💡𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁? The SMART (Standards-based, Machine-readable, Adaptive, Requirements-based, and Testable) Guidelines are a comprehensive set of reusable digital health components, including interoperability standards, code libraries, algorithms, and both technical and operational specifications. These guidelines are designed to streamline the adaptation and implementation of digital health solutions, and they offer a five-step framework to promote the adoption of best practices in clinical and data management, even in countries with limited digital infrastructure. 💻🔧 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗞𝗶𝘁 (𝗗𝗔𝗞) 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲? DAKs, which are part of the WHO SMART Guidelines framework, provide a software-neutral, systematic approach to digitizing clinical and public health content. They ensure the use of established standards, such as the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), and guide the design of digital systems based on WHO recommendations for clinical documentation, health systems, and data use. During the workshop, participants reviewed the DAKs and provided technical feedback for further refinement. Additionally, country-specific experiences were shared, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges in aligning software tools with the DAKs. The discussions also identified key areas for collaboration and the development of enabling ecosystems to effectively implement DAKs and enhance disease surveillance efforts in countries. 👉Interested in learning more about this initiative? Find information at: https://lnkd.in/dP9w-53 Patricia Ndumbi, PhD Samuel Mbuthia Alessandra D'Angelo Dr. Karl Schenkel M. Sc. Cassie Jiun Seo Abdul Basith Shaukath Dr. Marc Yambayamba Sandra Adele (PhD) and many others...! #WHO #DiseaseSurveillance #DigitalHealth #SMARTGuidelines #PublicHealth #SurveillanceData #GlobalHealth #DataStandards #SORMAS

It is our pleasure to be part of this project and to contribute to the strengthening of the disease surveillance and outbreak management at the Direction de la Santé in Luxembourg! 🙌 #PHRESH #EU4Health #SORMAS #Luxembourg #DiseaseSurveillance #PandemicPreparedness #DigitalHealth #OneHealth #OpenSource  

Eid Mubarak, dear colleagues and friends! Wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Eid 🌙✨🌸

All eligible countries are encouraged to apply! 🌟 #PandemicFund #PandemicPreparedness #OpenApplication

Always great to see #SORMAS trainings in action! Congratulations Ghana Health Service on your work! 🙌

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐮𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 2025 - 𝐘𝐞𝐬! 𝐖𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐁: 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭, 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 - *𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐁 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐒* According to estimates by the World Health Organization, almost 11 million people worldwide are diagnosed with tuberculosis each year. Although tuberculosis is preventable and curable, well over a million people die from it every year. Briefly replaced by COVID-19, tuberculosis is now once again the infectious disease that causes the most deaths worldwide from a single pathogen, remaining Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) as a public health crisis and health security threat. The WHO theme for the World Tuberculosis day 2025, "Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver", reminds us that ending TB requires collective action! To address the challenge of siloed tuberculosis surveillance and move to a comprehensive approach, the SORMAS Foundation is currently 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐁 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐒. This initiative will enhance the ability to track, manage and ultimately eliminate TB by leveraging real-time data and improving case detection in an integrated disease surveillance platform. Stay tuned for more updates! 👉 More information on the World TB Day 2025 can be found at: https://lnkd.in/gs_Yyqrn 💡How are you contributing to the fight against TB? Share your stories, ideas, or messages of support below! 💬 Interested in the usage of SORMAS? Get in touch with us at: 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨@𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐬.𝐨𝐫𝐠 #WorldTBDay #Tuberculosis #EndTB #SORMAS #PublicHealth #HealthInnovation #GlobalHealth #TBFreeWorld

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐒-𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐫. 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐭 has been an invaluable member of the SORMAS Advisory Board since the Foundation's establishment in 2022. Her dedication, expertise and unwavering commitment have significantly contributed to the success and growth of SORMAS. It has been an absolute pleasure collaborating with her and her insights have been instrumental in shaping the Foundation’s strategic direction. As Dr. Mayet embarks on a well-deserved retirement, she will be stepping down from her role as an advisor. We extend our deepest gratitude for her exceptional contributions and wish her a joyful, fulfilling, and healthy retirement filled with new adventures and cherished moments. At the same time, we are thrilled to announce that 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐃𝐫. 𝐆é𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐊𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 will be joining the SORMAS Advisory Board as Dr. Mayet’s successor. Prof. Krause brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished career in public health, epidemiology, and infectious disease control. His profound knowledge and leadership will undoubtedly strengthen the Foundation’s mission to advance global health and digital disease surveillance. We are excited to welcome him to the team and look forward to the innovative ideas and collaborative efforts he will bring to the Advisory Board. This transition marks a new chapter for the SORMAS Foundation, and we are confident that under Prof. Krause’s guidance, we will continue to build on the strong foundation laid by Dr. Mayet and further our impact in the field of digital Surveillance.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝟱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗼? As the month of March marks five years since the official declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, we reflect on the crucial lessons learned. The pandemic highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses of global health systems. The rapid spread of the virus, coupled with delays in detecting and responding to outbreaks, showed us that we must invest in stronger surveillance systems and improve our ability to manage outbreaks from the moment they begin. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀: 🔹 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Enhanced surveillance systems, including improved data collection, real-time reporting, and genetic sequencing, are essential for identifying new threats and understanding their behavior. 🔹 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: The pandemic revealed the need for better information sharing and coordination across borders and showed us that “No one is safe, until we are all safe”. 🔹 𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺𝘀: Effective outbreak management requires plans, including testing, contact tracing, and quarantine measures, to contain the spread and prevent further disruption. 🔹 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The use of digital solutions for contact tracing, and innovations in testing and vaccine development showed how technology can be leveraged to tackle public health challenges. 🔹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁: Public trust is built on clear and accurate information and guidance, and communities must be equipped with the knowledge they need to protect themselves and others. We must continue to invest in infrastructure, innovation, and collaboration to build a healthier, more resilient world. The lessons learned over the past five years should be applied to plan and prepare during peace times, before the next pandemic happens. 👉 Get in touch at info@sormas.org if you want to learn more about the SORMAS Foundation’s activities that contribute to create more resilient health systems. #DiseaseSurveillance #OutbreakManagement #COVID19 #GlobalHealth #PandemicPreparedness #LessonsLearnt #HealthInvestment #SORMAS

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 2025 – 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 8𝐭𝐡, we celebrate 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 – a time to honor the achievements of women and reflect on the work still needed to achieve gender equality. This year, let’s focus on a critical yet often overlooked issue: 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how crises disproportionately impact women and marginalized genders. From increased caregiving burdens and job losses to rising rates of gender-based violence and gaps in healthcare access, the pandemic underscored the urgent need for gender-sensitive approaches in global health systems. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫? ▪️ Women make up the majority of frontline healthcare workers, yet their voices are often excluded from decision-making processes. ▪️ During crises, women and girls face heightened risks of violence, limited access to sexual and reproductive health services and economic instability. ▪️ Gender-blind policies can exacerbate inequalities, leaving women and marginalized groups more vulnerable during and after pandemics.   𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐒 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 includes the gender approach in all activities. As we look to the future, we must ensure that pandemic preparedness and recovery efforts are inclusive, equitable and gender-responsive. This means: ▪️ Prioritizing women’s leadership in global health decision-making. ▪️ Addressing gender-specific health needs in emergency response plans. ▪️  Investing in social protection systems that support women’s economic security during crises. ▪️ Collecting and analyzing gender-disaggregated data to inform policies.   #InternationalWomensDay #GenderEquity #PandemicPreparedness #HealthForAll

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 2025 – 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 8𝐭𝐡, we celebrate 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 – a time to honor the achievements of women and reflect on the work still needed to achieve gender equality. This year, let’s focus on a critical yet often overlooked issue: 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how crises disproportionately impact women and marginalized genders. From increased caregiving burdens and job losses to rising rates of gender-based violence and gaps in healthcare access, the pandemic underscored the urgent need for gender-sensitive approaches in global health systems. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫? ▪️ Women make up the majority of frontline healthcare workers, yet their voices are often excluded from decision-making processes. ▪️ During crises, women and girls face heightened risks of violence, limited access to sexual and reproductive health services and economic instability. ▪️ Gender-blind policies can exacerbate inequalities, leaving women and marginalized groups more vulnerable during and after pandemics.   𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐒 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 includes the gender approach in all activities. As we look to the future, we must ensure that pandemic preparedness and recovery efforts are inclusive, equitable and gender-responsive. This means: ▪️ Prioritizing women’s leadership in global health decision-making. ▪️ Addressing gender-specific health needs in emergency response plans. ▪️  Investing in social protection systems that support women’s economic security during crises. ▪️ Collecting and analyzing gender-disaggregated data to inform policies.   #InternationalWomensDay #GenderEquity #PandemicPreparedness #HealthForAll