United Nations (UN) volunteer Mohamed Maher Saad in Sudan is assisting the country speed up efforts to digitise healthcare.

Serving as a public health specialist with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Khartoum, Maher Saad is working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health in data collection, seeking to develop a digital library, which will make health data and research available online to medical personnel and students.

Additionally, Maher Saad is helping with the development of a mobile application called Health Pulse, which will facilitate disease surveillance and treatment, tracking of epidemic outbreaks and management of chronic diseases.

"High-quality health data is essential for responding to specific health needs, monitoring progress and evaluating the impact of health programmes. It is vital for good public health decisions and informed policymaking,” says Maher Saad.

Despite the challenges Mohamed faces in his work, which include scarcity and inaccuracy of health-related data in Sudan, he says he is proud of being a part of these two projects and witnessing them come to life.