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Digging into Health & Medicine

Using data to investigate health stories

Syed Nazakat

Founder, DataLEADS

www.dataleads.co.in

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Health and medicine is not rocket science. But in many ways, even more complicated than rocket science.

COVID-19 has put spotlight on global health system's shortcomings, inequality, data fudging, corruption,

poor delivery systems and lack of accountability in many countries

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Reporting in this field means getting well-acquainted with subject

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Patterns rather than events

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OUR TEAM ANALYZED 6 MILLION+ WILDLIFE TRADE RECORDS ANALYSED TO EXPOSE HOW CHINA FAILED TO CURB WILDLIFE TRADE

Connecting The Dots

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Connecting the dots

Our team analyzed 6 million+ wildlife trade records analysed;
Analysis of historical data on the legal trade of live wild animals global trade in live wild animals has increased by over 750% since 1987.
Data shows how China failed to curb wildlife trade, even after the SARS outbreak – imports increased at unprecedented levels since 2003.
54 countries cater to China's demand for live wild animals

(www.ha-asia.com/the-last-chance)

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OUR STORY REVEALED HOW CHINA WAS MASKING THE EPIDEMIC’S TRUE SCALE, RIGHT IN THE EARLY DAYS OF COVID-19.

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Why getting COVID bed is nightmare

Our team investigated the on-ground realities of bed availability in Delhi’s first wave of COVID, even as the government said enough beds and facilities were available
“Discrepancy in data -- the number of beds reflecting on the app and on the ground”

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Developing a data frame of mind

Being able to collect and question data in a disciplined way, making sense of discrepancies, and finding the underlying patterns and outliers that are important.

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Ask questions

Who CONTROLS and owns the data

Which regions/places does it COVER [or not cover]?

How UPDATED, consistent and accurate is the data?

Is it possible to manipulate data?

Who would want to HIDE something?

What is the METHODOLOGY behind the data?

Is there any other source for the same data?

Who FUNDS the data research?

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Obtaining DATA through Freedom of Information (FOI) for investigation

4 Million+

Estimated RTI applications filed in India every year

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COLLABORATION with domain experts is the key

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THANK YOU!!!

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