Silal Sheetal Prakash
Modelling and Simulation Hub, Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Eur J Oper Res. 2021 Jun 16;291(3):929-934. doi: 10.1016/j.ejor.2020.07.037. Epub 2020 Jul 24.
Infectious diseases, both established and emerging, impose a significant burden globally. Successful management of infectious diseases requires considerable effort and a multidisciplinary approach to tackle the complex web of interconnected biological, public health and economic systems. Through a wide range of problem-solving techniques and computational methods, operational research can strengthen health systems and support decision-making at all levels of disease control. From improved understanding of disease biology, intervention planning and implementation, assessing economic feasibility of new strategies, identifying opportunities for cost reductions in routine processes, and informing health policy, this paper highlights areas of opportunity for operational research to contribute to effective and efficient infectious disease management and improved health outcomes.
无论是已有的还是新出现的传染病，都在全球造成了重大负担。成功管理传染病需要付出巨大努力，并采用多学科方法来应对相互关联的生物、公共卫生和经济系统的复杂网络。通过广泛的问题解决技术和计算方法，运筹学可以加强卫生系统，并支持疾病控制各级的决策。从增进对疾病生物学的理解、干预规划与实施、评估新策略的经济可行性、识别常规流程中降低成本的机会，到为卫生政策提供信息，本文强调了运筹学有助于有效且高效地管理传染病并改善健康结果的机会领域。
