Secure Data Kit: Commitment to country ownership of data

Background


Secure Data Kit (SDK) has been committed to country ownership of data since its inception. SDK avoids becoming an implementing partner owned digital silo by supporting multiple modalities of national ownership, such as easy to use tool to manage user accounts, and full integration with existing national database through HTTP push API, also known as webhooks, and direct database access. Our support as the platform for the largest single disease mapping project in the world, the Global Trachoma Mapping Project, has given us the experience required to ensure national programs have full control over their data, and these data are integrated with existing national information systems. Here we will discuss each data ownership method in greater detail.

Ownership through access


Secure Data Kit (SDK) provides online tools to add, remove, or manage the access of all authorized individuals. As shown in figure 1, users are granted individual access to view, edit, download, or receive reports. Authorized users can be granted any mixture of these privileges to ensure the national program has full control over who has the rights to perform these actions.

Ownership through review and approval


Secure Data Kit (SDK) provide an online tool called SDK:Authorize, which implements a review and approval process to ensure all data have been reviewed and approved by the national program before being considered final. These tools are describe on the SDK:Authorize page.

Ownership through HTTP push API (webhooks)


Secure Data Kit (SDK) provide HTTP push API, also known as webhooks, where SDK serves as the data collection platform, but once data are received they are immediately transferred to another database, or if that database is not available, they will remain queued until they can be delivered. This functionality is the system architecture behind the Onchocerciasis Elimination Mapping Project (OEM). This Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded project is to pilot this technology along with a new mapping protocol for conducting Onchocerciasis elimination mapping. Here, SDK is used to collect data, and once received, those data are immediately transferred to a processing database managed by the Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases, WHO/AFRO.

Ownership through Direct database access


Because each project on SDK is store in a secure database, direct database access can be granted to national programs. This access would allow national program access to integrate these data with existing national database. This functionality was implemented in Kenya to support trachoma impact assessments performed using SDK, white labeled as Tropical Data, and integrate these data into their national database using DHIS2 software. Standard Co. can provide consultant services to configure either webhooks or direct database access to ensure data collected with SDK are fully integrated into existing national database.