The Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) through the INSPIRE PEACH project has partnered with the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) which operates under the Ministry of Health (MoH) to support the nation’s approach to disease surveillance data management. 

Leading this initiative is Dr. Amelia Taylor from MUBAS, who aims to leverage advanced Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT and MedPalm, to provide guidance and training to healthcare professionals for the collection, analysis, and application of pandemic-related data. 

The initiative, funded by the Gates Foundation, developed an AI-powerd tool called IntelSurv which is part of an Intelligent Disease Surveillance Data Feedback System that supports the data collection for frontline health workers.

IntelSurv is a web app that uses LLMs to achieve a 'chat'-like functionality where users ask questions about priority diseases. The tool works offline and online and can be installed as a persistent web app on a mobile phone and it breaks down complicated documents with clinical and surveillance guidelines and allows the user to search for information using direct questions and answers. 

The project underscores the critical role of accurate, accessible data in pandemic response efforts, particularly within resource-limited settings like Malawi, where data collection remains a labor-intensive process and access to information is limited.

IntelSurv will improve the preparedness and knowledge that healthcare staff have about processes and guidelines for disease surveillance. This will lead to better quality of data thus enabling a more responsive and efficient decision-making.

There is hope that the tool and knowledge resources are implemented, Malawi’s healthcare system will be empowered with more reliable data, facilitating proactive, data-driven responses to public health needs.