Digital Public Health Assessment Framework for Yielding Advancements (DigiAfya)

• Applicant: Dr. Felix Holl
• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine ; Medical Informatics and Medical Bioinformatics
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 578700504

The DigiAfya project addresses the lack of suitable approaches for evaluating digital public health interventions (DPHIs) in low-resource settings (LRSs). While digital solutions are increasingly used to tackle public health challenges, many remain stuck in pilot phases without achieving sustainable scale or integration, a phenomenon known as “pilotitis.” One reason is that most existing assessment frameworks were developed for high-income settings and do not reflect the unique constraints of LRSs, such as limited infrastructure, digital literacy, policy gaps, and cultural factors. To close this gap, DigiAfya will adapt and validate the existing digital public health framework “DigiPHrame” for use in LRSs. DigiPHrame is the only publicly available tool specifically developed for digital public health and already includes ethical, economic, and interoperability dimensions, but it has not yet been validated or tested in diverse contexts. The project pursues four main goals: 1. Framework adaptation: In collaboration with local stakeholders and experts, DigiPHrame will be modified to address the needs and realities of health systems in LRSs. 2. Case study validation: The adapted framework will be applied to six real-world post-pilot interventions in Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Africa, including initiatives in primary and secondary as well as tertiary prevention. These case studies will generate evidence on the framework’s applicability in practice. 3. Refinement and generalization: Insights from the case studies will be used to further develop and finalize a robust, flexible assessment framework that can be applied across DPHIs for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention in LRSs. 4. Dissemination and capacity building: Findings will be shared through publications, workshops, and collaborations with governments, NGOs, and public health institutions. The project aims to facilitate integration of the framework into national and regional digital health strategies and to build capacity for its use in future digital public health initiatives. DigiAfya will equip decision-makers such as public health officials, program managers, and donor agencies with a practical and evidence-based tool to evaluate the effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability of post-pilot DPHIs in LRSs. This will support better planning and funding decisions and help ensure that promising digital health solutions can be integrated into health systems to improve population health. Ultimately, DigiAfya contributes to reducing health inequalities and strengthening public health systems in LRSs by promoting the responsible and sustainable use of DPHIs.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania
• Co-Investigators: Dr. Laura Maaß; Professor Dr. Walter Swoboda
• International Co-Applicants: Professorin Jennifer Chipps, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Felix Sukums; Célestin Twizere, Ph.D.