Group equips Ogun health workers with surveillance devices

In a major step to strengthen community health and epidemic preparedness, the Artificial Intelligence Application for One Health (AIA4OneHealth) project has donated mobile devices and technological equipment to support the IDS-Master surveillance system in Ogun State.

The presentation ceremony, held on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, was organised in strategic collaboration with the Ogun State Ministry of Health. The initiative is part of ongoing efforts to integrate artificial intelligence and digital technology into the monitoring and early detection of potential health threats at the grassroots level.

Receiving the donated devices on behalf of the state government, the Director of Public Health, Dr. Bamiselu, expressed profound gratitude to the AIA4OneHealth team. He commended the researchers for their exceptional foresight and commitment, noting that the innovative intervention will significantly enhance the state’s capacity to detect, track, and ultimately curb the spread of infectious diseases across communities.

The mobile phones were distributed to Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) across all Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state. The devices are specifically provisioned to facilitate real-time, community-based surveillance and strengthen the seamless reporting of health events that may pose public health risks.

The programme commenced with a comprehensive review and presentation of surveillance data reported across the LGAs. Following this, Professor Adesina Sodiya, the Principal Investigator of the AIA4OneHealth project, delivered an address on behalf of the research team.

Professor Sodiya highlighted key thematic areas of the project, including the continuous technological development of the IDS-Master platform, future system improvements, and the critical need for sustainability. He strongly emphasized the importance of sustainable funding and institutional support in maintaining the project’s daily operations and expanding its digital infrastructure.

To encourage active participation and diligence among the frontline workers, the event also featured a reward session. Ado/Odo-Ota Local Government was recognized as the best-performing LGA for recording the highest volume of quality reports, and a special gift was presented to its DSNO. Professor Sodiya announced that, going forward, the project will institute a monthly reward system to recognize and motivate the LGA with the highest and most accurate reporting metrics.

The AIA4OneHealth project, which drives the IDS-Master platform, is proudly sponsored by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) through the Artificial Intelligence for Pandemic and Epidemic Preparedness (AI4PEP) network.

The successful handover of these devices reflects a growing global effort to leverage the power of artificial intelligence and mobile technology to transform community-level surveillance, facilitate the rapid identification of outbreaks, and ensure timely, data-driven responses to safeguard public health.