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We are pleased to announce that Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd. (Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, President: Satoshi Murabayashi, also “MURC”) and the BroadReach Group (Cape Town, South Africa, Co-Founder & Co-CEO: Ernest Darkoh) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in order to collaborate to utilize digital data in health through a people-centered approach to address health issues in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

1.Background

Utilizing digital data in health has a great potential to bring fundamental changes in health outcomes evenly in LMICs, where there are limited healthcare resources available. Innovative data technology that is tailored to those who need is necessary to make the health systems more effective and deliver quality healthcare to underserved populations in LMICs.
The MURC’s Center on Global Health Architecture tackles global health issues focusing on the utilization of digital technology in health in LMICs. The BroadReach Group is a solution provider and consultancy using digital data in health in LMICs. The BroadReach Group has collaborated with governments, international organizations and the private sector for nearly two decades. One of the innovative programs led by the BroadReach Group is Regional Action through Data (RAD) funded through USAID. It aims to develop innovative solutions through data and technology that change how and why information is collected, analysed, shared and used across 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa to improve health outcomes for all. The BroadReach Group implements Vantage, the AI-enabled data analytics platform which helps manage large scale healthcare programs by supporting adaptive management and operational efficiencies. Vantage analyses big data from multiple sources including census data, anonymised patients’ registration records, information on human resources and finance data at health facilities, empowering decision-makers with real-time insights and recommended next best actions to boost program performance, consistently and at scale.
This MoU aims to contribute to global health challenges by promoting digital data in LMICs to transform health systems, in which underserved populations would be able to receive quality healthcare services. Both parties will also closely work together for individual projects and private sector engagement related to health technologies^{*1 as well as policy development and awareness-raising activities.}

*1 Health technologies are some devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures and systems that have been produced and developed to tackle health challenges as well as to improve quality of lives. Source: World Health Organization (2020) What is a health technology? Available at
https://www.who.int/health-technology-assessment/about/healthtechnology/en/ (Accessed on January 21, 2020).

2.Outlines of the two organization

■ BroadReach Group
The BroadReach Group is a group of companies focussed on a common mission of improving the health and well-being of underserved populations around the world. Founded in 2003, by social entrepreneurs, Dr. Ernest Darkoh and Dr. John Sargent, the Group currently comprises of three distinct businesses: BroadReach Healthcare, BroadReach Consulting and Vantage Technologies. The BroadReach Group is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa and has worked in nearly 30 countries worldwide.
Website：https://www.broadreachcorporation.com/
Facebook：https://www.facebook.com/BroadReachCorporation/
Twitter：https://www.twitter.com/broadreachinfo
Linkedin：https://www.linkedin.com/company/broadreach-healthcare/

■ 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 Persons：Michikazu Koshiba and Junko Makinouchi

Media contacts

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