NTT DATA has been appointed to lead the creation of ATHINA (Advanced Technology for Health Intelligence and Action IT System), a high-tech intelligence system that will leverage public health and supply chain data to improve pandemic prevention.
ATHINA will speed up accessibility to information and action-oriented evidence relating to potential global health threats. This will allow appropriate action to be taken not just to respond to health emergencies, but also to anticipate them.
NTT Data’s role is in collaboration with the European Health Agency (HaDEA) and the European Health Emergency Response Authority (HERA) who will also benefit from the new platform.
The company will lead the consortium behind the project to create the platform, which will monitor, analyse and prioritise threats, while identifying available countermeasures and providing response options.
ATHINA will benefit from more than 50,000 highly skilled employees over an initial period of three years. It has been financed with European funds, with a strategic investment of 20 million euros, within EU4Health – the largest of the EU health programmes.
Also being funded under the EU4Health programme is a four-year project to strengthen health information systems and boost health data governance. This includes a Health Information Network being established, bringing together a network of countries to engage in collaborative decision-making and knowledge exchange.
The ATHINA project represents a significant step towards effective preparedness and response to health emergencies. It will also strengthen Europe’s ability to prevent, detect and respond quickly to serious cross-border health threats.
Esther Saavedra, EC health account manager at NTT DATA, said: “Once again, technology gives us the opportunity to be better prepared to respond to important health challenges, such as a pandemic or any other CBRN risk. NTT DATA is therefore delighted to be able to lead this project, which we believe will undoubtedly contribute to the creation of a more robust and united European Health Union.”