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We are pleased to announce that Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd. (Headquartered in Tokyo, President: Satoshi Murabayashi, also “MURC”) and University of Botswana (Headquartered in Gaborone, Vice Chancellor: Prof. David Norris, also “UB”) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU marks the two firms’ commitment to the utilization of digital technologies to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and create a knowledge-based industry in Botswana.
This MoU between MURC and UB outlines a collaboration between the two firms toward the goal of establishing new partnerships and innovative projects in the fields of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), nursing care for elderly people, infectious diseases and access and delivery of medical commodities, with aligned with the National eHealth Strategy of Botswana. Both parties will contribute to the creation of an innovation in health from Botswana and healthier and better future of Africa.

1.Background

In recent years, the implementation and utilization of digital technologies continues to progress rapidly in the world. The efforts to utilize digital tools and data in health is attracting more and more social attention to overcome issues in low- and middle-income countries such as infectious diseases outbreak, access and delivery of medicines, preventing lifestyle diseases, and nursing care for elderly people. The MURC’s Center on Global Health Architecture tackles issues regarding global health and focuses on “digital health,” or the use of digital technologies to improve health and wellness systems. This MoU with UB is one of their initiatives to solve various social issues, as UB is among the leading institutions driving the eHealth mandate in Botswana, one of the countries passionately working on the topic in Africa. UB has established the eHealth Research Unit in Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science. The unit is engaging in the development and implementation of digital solutions including contact-tracking system for tuberculosis patients using SMS by mobile phones. UB also hosted the Health Informatics in Africa (HELINA) in November 2019 and experts around the world participated in the international conference. This MoU aims to cooperate by bringing expertise and networks of the two parties in efforts to develop digital solutions in the following four fields that are currently social issues in Botswana.

1. Data visualization and creating effective measures to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including oncology, diabetes and hypertension.
2. Utilization of digital technologies in nursing care for elderly people.
3. Utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in minimizing the harm of infectious diseases outbreak.
4. Drone delivery system to improve access to medical commodities.

Furthermore, both parties will collaborate to develop a new leading knowledge-based industry to transform its natural resource- dependent economy through these initiatives.

2.Outlines of the two organization

■ University of Botswana
UB was established in 1982 and is closely involved in the national development process of Botswana. The university, consisting of eight faculties, plays a special role of engaging in improving the quality and in expanding the quantity of the human resources needed for development of the nation and Africa. In order to fulfill its mission, UB dedicates their efforts in providing talented, creative and confident graduates, •advancing knowledge and understanding through research, and improving economic and social development by high impact engagement with business, the professions, government and civil society.
Website：https://www.ub.bw/

■ Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd.
MURC is a think tank and consulting firm within Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG). It has offices in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, and drives a variety of projects including consultancy services for firms, policy research for national and local governments, management information services, human resource development, and economic research. The Secretariat of this MoU is MURC’s Center on Global Health Architecture, an organization striving to solve global health issues.
Website：https://www.digitalsociety.murc.jp/globalhealth/architecture/index.html
Facebook：https://www.facebook.com/cgha.murc/
Linkedin：https://www.linkedin.com/company/25078975/

For more information

Center on Global Health Architecture, Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting, Co., Ltd.
5-11-2 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8501, Japan
E-mail：ath-ch@murc.jp
Contact Person：Michikazu Koshiba, Yu Hasegawa and Yuri Narisawa

Media contacts

Corporate Communications Dept, Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting, Co., Ltd.
TEL：03-6733-1005
E-mail：info@murc.jp