Digitization of Community Health in Mali: A Qualitative Study on the Implementation of the DISC-Mali Program...

The digitalization of community health activities has emerged as a promising strategy to improve the quality of primary care delivery. In Mali, the DISC-Mali program, supported by the CHT, was rolled out as part of a pilot program in Ségou. Thirty (30) semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders at multiple levels. The interviews were transcribed word for word and thematically analyzed using NVivo 12. Ethical principles, including informed consent and anonymization of participants, were strictly adhered to. Initial training, availability of equipment, and regular supportive supervision were identified as key drivers of adoption. DISC-Mali facilitated data collection as well as archiving and decision-making. Some of the main challenges include the lack of centralized account management, limited connectivity, power supply, long forms, the inability to correct errors after synchronization, and the persistent duplication between paper and digital reports. In conclusion, the DISC-Mali program has improved data quality and decision-making, demonstrating the transformative potential of digital health in Mali.