GIS on Weekend: Part 1
GIS on weekend is a set of training of Geographic Information System Implementation (GIS) for Health with 4 sessions. The first session has been held on Saturday, August 2, 2008. The topic was “GIS Implementation for Health” with the speakers of Anis Fuad, DEA (Overview of Health GIS), Sugeng Harianto (GIS Tools: Epimap, EpiInfo), and Adi Widagdo (Introduction to GPS). At last, a case study was lead by Anis Fuad to learn about GIS throughout the existed cases.
GIS was an information system with current data for showing the location in map. Along with the recent technology development, GIS also has been developed on the basis of computer and can be applied on other sectors including the health sector.
GIS can be used to answers the following questions:
- What did happen in a place?
- Where was something?
- What changes have happen during ….to…?
- How was the distribution pattern of something?
- How if…?
In public health sector, GIS based-spatial analysis is used for:
- Disease controlling (vector mapping, disease cases, distance identification, case clustering/cause of sickness)
- Health program planning
- Health program monitoring and evaluation
- A suporrting tool for health personnel allocation
The GIS integrate various data, e.g. satellite data, aerial photograph, digital maps, tabular information, etc., then forming new information in thematic map.
Before making a thematic map, we should prepare the spatial data to show location of an area. Gathering spatial data, we can use a GPS (global positioning system), that is a satellite based-navigation system which informing definite position of a location in the earth. The GPS receiver can detect the 24 orbited-satellite signals upon the earth. By using distance measuring function, we can determine position of a location in the world.
After gathering spatial data from the GPS, so these data are processed by using GIS software such as Epimap, Quantum GIS, ArcView, etc. At last, it can produce a complete map with points of observed location.
GIS has several advantages for health sectors, particularly for spatial analysis which can support decision making corresponding to public health.
For the next session, the topic is Spatial Data for Mapping. The registration for the next training sessions is still opened. Just contact the SIMKES secretariat on (62)274 -549432.
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