Description of Session
From the advent of the digital age in the 1980’s, when Tim Berners-Lee coded the first web browser and MS-DOS brought affordable computing systems to hospitals and clinics, the ways in which we store and engage with health data has been transformed. Electronic health records and digital health systems have allowed greater and more rapid access to potentially life-saving information for patients around the world. Despite the benefits health data has brought the sector, these digital systems are often exploited. In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), adoption of digital health systems is a priority for donors and governments alike, yet in these countries digital health systems are particularly vulnerable to exploitation. This is because in LMICs there is prevalent use of unlicensed software, out of date systems, siloed health solutions that exchange data without understanding security vulnerabilities and protections, and lack of trained Ministry of Health staff in cybersecurity, leaving health systems vulnerable to exploitation, misuse, and undetected data breaches. Lack of trained cybersecurity specialists within the international development community complicates the problem further. Recent cybersecurity incidents in Mexico, Ukraine, Nigeria, and other LMICs point to the immediate need to address the issue. One solution is building awareness and training healthcare staff in cyber hygiene. DAI, a member of the Global Forum for Cyber Expertise (GFCE), proposes a hands-on workshop for healthcare practitioners to raise awareness of the importance of cyber hygiene and to teach basic cyber hygiene skills that can be easily adopted into daily routines. The workshop will focus specifically on challenges that the healthcare sector faces in LMICs.
