Global good partners in profile: Steven Wanyee, IntelliSOFT Consulting Ltd.
Each quarter, Digital Square shines the spotlight on global goods and innovators in our community through our Global Goods Community Newsletter. This interview was first shared in May 2020.
Tell us about your background and how your career has evolved to bring you into the global digital health sector?
My academic background is in computer science, software engineering, and health and biomedical informatics. I was privileged to get opportunities to study at the University of Nairobi (Kenya), the University of Washington (Seattle, WA, US), and at the University of Liverpool (UK). While studying in Seattle, I got a chance to intern at Harborview Medical Center where I was exposed to OpenVista. I downloaded a copy and when I returned home, I tried to implement it but didn't have much success. Soon after, I met with Paul Biondich, the Co-Founder of OpenMRS, which I had heard and read a lot about. That was the beginning of an exciting journey into my deep entry into global digital health.
Experientially, I spent the first 10 years of my working life in health research, primarily supporting the application of digital health and biostatistics in randomized clinical trials, mainly focused on vertical transmission of HIV. This was through a collaboration among University of Nairobi, Kenya Medical Research Institute, and the University of Washington. Then, I began working on healthcare service delivery programs for the Ministry of Health in Kenya. This was during the early years of the HIV era. I worked in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research and became rapidly involved in the core of digital health where working for I-TECH, I led a team that developed the OpenMRS powered KenyaEMR to support the Kenyan national HIV program. From thereon I was thrust into the heart of global digital health. I worked for several organizations including ICF where I led a team managing the predecessor to DHIS2, called Kenya Program Monitoring System (KePMS).
After 10 years of professional experience, I had a deep passion to start my own company. I approached my friend (and current business partner) and convinced him to partner with me. We then co-founded IntelliSOFT Consulting Limited. It has since been a rewarding journey in digital health where I have made friends all around the world and have been able to work in multiple countries, particularly in Africa.
What excites you most about the digital health space?
The confluence of multiple professions and the blend of expertise, experience, and wisdom required to solve problems in healthcare. The rapid evolution of technology, medicine, information systems, and now data science, all that are critical components of digital health creates constant excitement.
How has your work been impacted by the support of Digital Square?
Digital Square has provided me with exposure to professional networks and communities of practice which have influenced my thinking, enabled me to share and learn, and brought my company direct business opportunities. I have also been a recipient of grants from Digital Square.
How do you think Digital Square is helping to bring together the global good communities?
Digital Square has succeeded in significantly improving the Return On Investment for investors (donors) who channel their money through it. The innovative and precise funding mechanisms ensure that the investments are used to build digital health artifacts that actually result to impact when implemented. This creative way of unpacking and peeling the layers of challenges has enabled Digital Square to have greater impact with every award made as opposed to the traditional funding mechanisms. I like this style a lot!
How was your work evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic?
The persistent barriers to digital health technology that we’ve seen in the past has melted away. I have seen strong evidence of the acceptance, adoption, and use of digital health solutions.