Background

During the initial stages of the pandemic, contact tracing could be accomplished manually since there were only a limited number of cases. However, as the number of cases has grown into the hundreds and thousands, early detection and contact tracing have become increasingly challenging. Given the rise in smartphone usage and expanded internet access in rural Indonesia, the introduction of innovative mobile technology could serve as one of several methods to enhance the efficiency of early detection and contact tracing for COVID-19.

Key Issue

Amid the ongoing absence of medical treatments and vaccines, it has become imperative to focus on disease prevention and mitigation strategies to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Key elements in controlling infectious disease outbreaks are early detection, contact tracing, and prompt case isolation. However, as the number of cases has escalated into the hundreds and thousands, manual methods for early detection and contact tracing have become considerably more challenging. Hence, there is a pressing need to establish a robust and efficient system for early detection and contact tracing, especially in the rural regions of Indonesia.

Research Objective

The aim of this ongoing project is to create and implement an inventive, versatile mobile technology-based primary healthcare system using the SMARTHealth COVID-19 platform. This system is geared toward preventing and mitigating the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic within the rural communities of Indonesia.

Research Overview

Since 2016, we’ve been dedicated to creating innovative, multifaceted mobile technology to address cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in rural Indonesia through the SMARTHealth Cardiovascular system. This smartphone-enabled ecosystem, a result of collaborative efforts involving researchers from Universitas Brawijaya, University of Manchester, and The George Institute Australia, focuses on enhancing the delivery of essential primary healthcare to communities. SMARTHealth facilitates effective screening, data collection, risk awareness, lifestyle advice, and referral for high-risk patients, ultimately bolstering preventive care and supporting task-sharing within healthcare systems. The platform has reached 90.6% of the target population, prioritizing those with limited access to healthcare, and successfully guiding them through clinical follow-up visits.

Building on our experience with SMARTHealth Cardiovascular, we’ve adapted this multifaceted mobile technology for the management of COVID-19 risk by incorporating SMARThealth Covid-19. The global impact of COVID-19, declared a pandemic by WHO in March 2020, has significantly affected countries, including Indonesia and the UK. With millions of confirmed cases and deaths worldwide, this crisis places a substantial burden on healthcare systems and the global economy. Our project aligns with the national priorities of both Indonesia and the UK in combatting this disease. The SMARTHealth technology has been successfully implemented in various countries, including Australia, India, China, and Indonesia. Its achievements, particularly in Indonesia, are well-documented, and we believe it has reached TRL 9 on the EU TRL scale, signifying its proven functionality in operational environments.

Publications

Phase 1

Sujarwoto, Sujarwoto, Trisfa Augia, Hendery Dahlan, Rindi Ardika Melsalasa Sahputri, Holipah Holipah, and Asri Maharani. “COVID-19 mobile health apps: an overview of mobile applications in Indonesia.” Frontiers in Public Health 10 (2022): 879695. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.879695/full 

Sujarwoto, Sujarwoto, Holipah Holipah, and Asri Maharani. “A cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning COVID-19 outbreaks in the general population in Malang District, Indonesia.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 7 (2022): 4287. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/7/4287 

HKI for SMARThealth COVID-19 Areema. Reference Number: EC00202218781.https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1AVc3dRlOHAfYpLNs1erN3OoiZlrIivUk 

Phase 2

Sujarwoto, Sujarwoto, and Asri Maharani. “Sociodemographic characteristics and health access associated with COVID-19 infection and death: a cross-sectional study in Malang District, Indonesia.” BMJ open 12, no. 5 (2022): e052042. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/5/e052042 

Sujarwoto, Sujarwoto, Maharani, Asri, Sri Andarini, Rindi Ardika Melsalasa Saputri, Eduwin Pakpahan, Delvac Oceandy, and Gindo Tampubolon. “Understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: A cross-sectional study in Malang District, Indonesia.” Frontiers in Public Health 10 (2023): 1030695. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1030695/full 

Sujarwoto, Sujarwoto, and Asri Maharani. “Is knowledge about COVID-19 associated with willingness to receive vaccine, vaccine uptake, and vaccine booster uptake in rural Malang, Indonesia?.” Frontiers in Public Health 11 (2023): 1203550. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1203550/full 

HAKI for SMARThealth COVID-19 modul and guideline. Reference number: EC00202279574

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1WKsvjiISOzUKQ5ULBUffKmxmprQX6eN0 

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