Disaster‑Proof Emergency Reporting with DHIS2 and Robust Radio Communications
1
1 Center for Informatics and Communication Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
2
2 Laboratory for Infodemiology and Infodemic Management, Institute of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
3
3 School of Public Health and Health Management, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3423
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Natural and man-made disasters are increasing in frequency and severity globally, requiring resilient health information systems capable of maintaining operational continuity when infrastructure collapses. DHIS2 platform excels at multi-source disaster data aggregation [1], however, the ability to collect field-level data and monitor diseases is often compromised by the loss of internet connectivity. Scientific studies highlight software-defined radio (SDR) based solutions working on very high or ultra-high frequency (VHF/UHF) interoperability improvements in disaster response [2–4], while monitoring systems further demonstrate the resilience of wideband VHF/UHF communications under degraded conditions [5]. Despite these strengths, major Emergency Medical Services (EMS) or Computer‑Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems (ESO, ImageTrend as examples) lack native DHIS2 integration [6,7], whereas DHIS2 itself provides strong interoperability [1].
METHODS:
Using available literature, we synthesized findings from scientific SDR research [2–4], disaster‑response radiocommunication studies [5,8–9], EMS/CAD documentation [6–7], and DHIS2 technical integration guidelines [1]. Then, using local technical capabilities, we assess existing communication workflows, identify gaps, and propose solutions for radio‑to‑DHIS2 data transfer.
RESULTS:
SDR‑based solutions enable cross‑agency VHF/UHF interoperability, a critical need observed in past disaster responses such as Katrina and Haiti. EMS systems like ESO provide strong hospital interoperability but do not connect to DHIS2, and ImageTrend’s Health Information Hub lacks DHIS2 compatibility. We propose an interface and a Linux‑based, low‑power UHF/VHF field reporting device capable of transmitting structured emergency data directly into DHIS2.
CONCLUSIONS:
While DHIS2 excels at collecting, processing, and integrating large‑scale health data across disaster‑affected regions, it lacks integration across current EMS/CAD radio ecosystems. This limits real‑time epidemiological reporting in mass‑casualty events. Combining the resilience of radio communication with DHIS2’s analytics would strengthen disaster response pipelines.
Natural and man-made disasters are increasing in frequency and severity globally, requiring resilient health information systems capable of maintaining operational continuity when infrastructure collapses. DHIS2 platform excels at multi-source disaster data aggregation [1], however, the ability to collect field-level data and monitor diseases is often compromised by the loss of internet connectivity. Scientific studies highlight software-defined radio (SDR) based solutions working on very high or ultra-high frequency (VHF/UHF) interoperability improvements in disaster response [2–4], while monitoring systems further demonstrate the resilience of wideband VHF/UHF communications under degraded conditions [5]. Despite these strengths, major Emergency Medical Services (EMS) or Computer‑Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems (ESO, ImageTrend as examples) lack native DHIS2 integration [6,7], whereas DHIS2 itself provides strong interoperability [1].
METHODS:
Using available literature, we synthesized findings from scientific SDR research [2–4], disaster‑response radiocommunication studies [5,8–9], EMS/CAD documentation [6–7], and DHIS2 technical integration guidelines [1]. Then, using local technical capabilities, we assess existing communication workflows, identify gaps, and propose solutions for radio‑to‑DHIS2 data transfer.
RESULTS:
SDR‑based solutions enable cross‑agency VHF/UHF interoperability, a critical need observed in past disaster responses such as Katrina and Haiti. EMS systems like ESO provide strong hospital interoperability but do not connect to DHIS2, and ImageTrend’s Health Information Hub lacks DHIS2 compatibility. We propose an interface and a Linux‑based, low‑power UHF/VHF field reporting device capable of transmitting structured emergency data directly into DHIS2.
CONCLUSIONS:
While DHIS2 excels at collecting, processing, and integrating large‑scale health data across disaster‑affected regions, it lacks integration across current EMS/CAD radio ecosystems. This limits real‑time epidemiological reporting in mass‑casualty events. Combining the resilience of radio communication with DHIS2’s analytics would strengthen disaster response pipelines.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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