Analysis of call detail records to inform the COVID-19 response in Ghana—opportunities and challenges

Abstract Telecommunications data are being explored by many countries as a new source of that can be incorporated into their national statistical systems. In particular, “mobile positioning data” increasingly used to study population movements and distributions. However, the legal, ethical, technical complexities working with this type often pose barriers, which prevent from at times when it is most urgently needed. We demonstrate how having robust public–private partnership framework, privacy-preserving setup, communications strategy already in place, prior an emergency, enable governments harness advantages telecommunications valuable. even once these foundations challenges competing priorities, managing expectations, maintaining communication consumers during pandemic mean potential not automatically translated direct impact. This highlights importance sensitisation exercises, targeted users, make clear limitations data, well able maintain users. The views expressed work belong solely authors should interpreted institutions.