Promoting Awareness of Data Confidentiality and Security During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Low-Income Country—Sierra Leone

ObjectivesWorld Health Organization issued Joint Statement on Data Protection and Privacy in the COVID-19 Response stating that collection of vast amounts of personal data may potentially lead to the infringement of fundamental human rights and freedoms. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and...

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Main Authors: Joseph Sam Kanu, Mohamed A. Vandi, Brima Bangura, Katherine Draper, Yelena Gorina, Monique A. Foster, Jadnah D. Harding, Eric N. Ikoona, Amara Jambai, Mohamed A. M. Kamara, Daniel Kaitibi, Daphne B. Moffett, Tushar Singh, John T. Redd
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-11-01
Series:Public Health Reviews
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Online Access:https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/phrs.2024.1607540/full
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author Joseph Sam Kanu
Mohamed A. Vandi
Brima Bangura
Katherine Draper
Yelena Gorina
Monique A. Foster
Jadnah D. Harding
Eric N. Ikoona
Amara Jambai
Mohamed A. M. Kamara
Daniel Kaitibi
Daphne B. Moffett
Tushar Singh
John T. Redd
author_facet Joseph Sam Kanu
Mohamed A. Vandi
Brima Bangura
Katherine Draper
Yelena Gorina
Monique A. Foster
Jadnah D. Harding
Eric N. Ikoona
Amara Jambai
Mohamed A. M. Kamara
Daniel Kaitibi
Daphne B. Moffett
Tushar Singh
John T. Redd
author_sort Joseph Sam Kanu
collection DOAJ
description ObjectivesWorld Health Organization issued Joint Statement on Data Protection and Privacy in the COVID-19 Response stating that collection of vast amounts of personal data may potentially lead to the infringement of fundamental human rights and freedoms. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development called on national governments to adhere to the international principles for data security and confidentiality. This paper describes the methods used to assist the Ministry of Health in bringing awareness of the data ownership, confidentiality and security principles to COVID-19 responders.MethodsThe Sierra Leone Epidemiological Data (SLED) Team data managers conducted training for groups of COVID-19 responders. Training included presentations on data confidentiality, information disclosure, physical and electronic data security, and cyber-security; and interactive discussion of real-life scenarios. A game of Jeopardy was created to test the participant’s knowledge.ResultsThis paper describes the methods used by the SLED Team to bring awareness of the DOCS principles to more than 2,500 COVID-19 responders.ConclusionSimilar efforts may benefit other countries where the knowledge, resources, and governing rules for protection of personal data are limited.
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spelling doaj-art-35f88cb4637d4c6196685a2d922038dd2025-08-20T02:13:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Public Health Reviews2107-69522024-11-014510.3389/phrs.2024.16075401607540Promoting Awareness of Data Confidentiality and Security During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Low-Income Country—Sierra LeoneJoseph Sam Kanu0Mohamed A. Vandi1Brima Bangura2Katherine Draper3Yelena Gorina4Monique A. Foster5Jadnah D. Harding6Eric N. Ikoona7Amara Jambai8Mohamed A. M. Kamara9Daniel Kaitibi10Daphne B. Moffett11Tushar Singh12John T. Redd13Directorate of Health Security and Emergencies, Ministry of Health, Freetown, Sierra LeoneDirectorate of Health Security and Emergencies, Ministry of Health, Freetown, Sierra LeoneDirectorate of Health Security and Emergencies, Ministry of Health, Freetown, Sierra LeoneInfectious Diseases and Outbreaks Division, Alabama Department of Public Health, Montgomery, AL, United StatesGlobal Health Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United StatesGlobal Health Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United StatesDirectorate of Health Security and Emergencies, Ministry of Health, Freetown, Sierra LeoneDirectorate of Health Security and Emergencies, Ministry of Health, Freetown, Sierra LeoneDirectorate of Health Security and Emergencies, Ministry of Health, Freetown, Sierra LeoneDirectorate of Health Security and Emergencies, Ministry of Health, Freetown, Sierra LeoneDepartment of Physics and Computer Science, School of Technology, Njala University, Freetown, Sierra LeoneGlobal Health Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United StatesGlobal Health Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United StatesThe Schmidt Initiative for Long Covid (SILC), Menlo Park, CA, United StatesObjectivesWorld Health Organization issued Joint Statement on Data Protection and Privacy in the COVID-19 Response stating that collection of vast amounts of personal data may potentially lead to the infringement of fundamental human rights and freedoms. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development called on national governments to adhere to the international principles for data security and confidentiality. This paper describes the methods used to assist the Ministry of Health in bringing awareness of the data ownership, confidentiality and security principles to COVID-19 responders.MethodsThe Sierra Leone Epidemiological Data (SLED) Team data managers conducted training for groups of COVID-19 responders. Training included presentations on data confidentiality, information disclosure, physical and electronic data security, and cyber-security; and interactive discussion of real-life scenarios. A game of Jeopardy was created to test the participant’s knowledge.ResultsThis paper describes the methods used by the SLED Team to bring awareness of the DOCS principles to more than 2,500 COVID-19 responders.ConclusionSimilar efforts may benefit other countries where the knowledge, resources, and governing rules for protection of personal data are limited.https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/phrs.2024.1607540/fulldata confidentialitydata securitydata ownershipcybersecuritytrainingSierra Leone
spellingShingle Joseph Sam Kanu
Mohamed A. Vandi
Brima Bangura
Katherine Draper
Yelena Gorina
Monique A. Foster
Jadnah D. Harding
Eric N. Ikoona
Amara Jambai
Mohamed A. M. Kamara
Daniel Kaitibi
Daphne B. Moffett
Tushar Singh
John T. Redd
Promoting Awareness of Data Confidentiality and Security During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Low-Income Country—Sierra Leone
Public Health Reviews
data confidentiality
data security
data ownership
cybersecurity
training
Sierra Leone
title Promoting Awareness of Data Confidentiality and Security During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Low-Income Country—Sierra Leone
title_full Promoting Awareness of Data Confidentiality and Security During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Low-Income Country—Sierra Leone
title_fullStr Promoting Awareness of Data Confidentiality and Security During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Low-Income Country—Sierra Leone
title_full_unstemmed Promoting Awareness of Data Confidentiality and Security During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Low-Income Country—Sierra Leone
title_short Promoting Awareness of Data Confidentiality and Security During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Low-Income Country—Sierra Leone
title_sort promoting awareness of data confidentiality and security during the covid 19 pandemic in a low income country sierra leone
topic data confidentiality
data security
data ownership
cybersecurity
training
Sierra Leone
url https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/phrs.2024.1607540/full
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