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The SA Health Knowledge Network
was developed by the MRC, in collaboration with the Department of
Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (DACST), University of Cape
Town (UCT), The University of Western Cape (UWC) and the
University of Stellenbosch (US), and provides interesting
information around various critical health issues, e.g. AIDS,
Nutrition, TB, Malaria etc. Various services are also available
e.g. document delivery, database searches and participation in discussion
forums.
This system will facilitate and
enable interaction and iterative information flow among –
researchers, health services, industry, health policy-makers and
communities - against the backdrop of a virtual organizational
approach. Such action is essential to drive innovation processes
for finding solutions for our country's health problems. Apart
from the catalyst role in the system of innovation, the National
Health Knowledge Network will also provide government, the
policy-making environment and communities with a unique
decision-support instrument.
The supra system framework
(core) provides a novel architecture and methodology which allows
for the seamless integration of conventional and complex data
types (e.g. images, chemical structures and geographical
information) into relational and/or object databases and data
warehouses and the development of standards-based access and
delivery mechanisms. This part of the architecture provides a
novel environment for plug-in modules - content-specific
information systems on particular health problems. The knowledge
network will include a screening service for accessing the value
of future plug-in information sources (modules) and existing,
relevant health information sources. Aggregation and repackaging
of information results would be available to other initiatives
such as the Universal Service Agency's initiative (in
collaboration with Intekom) providing for such access via
multi-purpose community information centres or telecentres. |