April the 16th, 2020 – Andrija is the very first digital assistant here to help with his ‘superhuman’ strength, all on the basis of artificial intelligence, in Croatia’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Andrija is a digital personal assistant intended for every resident of Croatia, and you can communicate with him on WhatsApp. You can read more about Andrija in English here, and on Croatia’s official koronavirus.hr website here. What does eminent Croatian scientist Igor Rudan think about Andrija? We bring you his Facebook status on the matter, translated into English, in full:
This pandemic is full of interesting stories. One of them regards Croatia’s new digital assistant “Andrija”, which should definitely be recorded for the “pandemic chronicles”. About a month or so ago, I was contacted by my “reader of the month” from January 2020, Zoran Segic, who was almost arrested in the United Arab Emirates because he and Karla took pictures of themselves with my books everywhere, so the local authorities were interested in what was in those books, and if the content could possibly be offensive to their customs. Zoran and Karla sent me a whole album from there, as they also did later on from Africa, called “The Occupation of Dubai and Zanzibar in 26 Pictures”, and they hid one of my books somewhere in each and every picture. However, this time, Zoran called me to join something that sounded really interesting, but unfortunately I couldn’t find enough time: the development of a digital application for COVID-19 based on artificial intelligence.
But I was glad to hear that for this project, Zoran connected with prof. dr. sc. Branko Kolaric. I saw Branko back in 2001 as a particularly talented young epidemiologist, and as such, I included him in all of my projects: I wanted him to develop, as far as possible, a broader view and refinement in analytics alongside the ”routine” part of his job at the Public Health Institute. Branko was with me in Edinburgh, he participated in field research as part of the “10,001 Dalmatians” project, and I’m particularly pleased, as part of that project, to have sent him to the summer school of Epidemiology at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, which was then the best place in Europe, for his postgraduate education, where he took courses such as those of Stanely Lemeshow to learn how to analyse epidemiological phenomena.
Then, he was at the European Centre for Disease Control. It’s one of my greatest personal pleasures to see over and over again how any completely speculative investment in supporting young and capable people pays off over time. Here, now, seventeen years later, Branko and I have met once again, we’re sitting together on the scientific council of the Government and trying to come up with some original solutions that would help Croatia to overcome this crisis as soon as possible.
In addition to those two, Mislav Malenica, President of CroAI and the director of AI at Mindsmiths, and Mr. Zvonimir Frka Petesic, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, and many others, also played major roles in this project.
Andrija’s project manager was the Ministry of Administration, which implements the digitisation of Croatia’s public administration. The solution was created by a team of experts led by epidemiologist Branko Kolaric, with the technical and IT support of the combined forces of the Croatian companies Mindsmiths, Neos and Oracle Croatia, who are members of the Croatian Association of Artificial Intelligence, CroAI, along with Infobip. All of the Croatian companies involved in the project have decided to make their respective contribution(s) to it for free.
Andrija is apparently named after the academic. Andrija Stampar, who emphasised the belief that “the issue of public health and the work on its promotion should be addressed by everyone, and without distinction”, placing significant emphasis on the importance of citizens’ cooperation and their involvement in public health programmes. The Andrija project is designed to keep up to date with the latest protocols, guidelines and knowledge that changes frequently in times of crisis.
As a contribution to the pandemic chronicles, the events have evolved as follows:
15/03/2020.
Mindsmiths decided to develop a solution to help fight coronavirus that will focus on providing citizens with the correct advice.
16/03/2020.
Mindsmiths developed a prototype of a triage algorithm in collaboration with prof. Branko Kolaric from the Andrija Stampar Institute.
23/03/2020.
Other companies from the CroAI Association; Neos, Infobip, Oracle Croatia all joined the initiative.
24/03/2020.
A meeting was held to present the idea of the digital assistant made by CroAI companies to the Director of the “Dr. Fran Mihaljevic” Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Alemka Markotic, CES Assistant Director Marija Bubas and the Head of the Prime Minister’s Office, Zvonimir Frko-Petesic.
26/03/2020.
Companies from the CroAI Association made the digital assistant available to the Government of the Republic of Croatia, free of charge.
30/03/2020.
Andrija’s triage algorithm was tested by the profession led by prof. Branko Kolaric. Based on the feedback received, its algorithm was further refined.
31/03/2020.
At a Government meeting attended by Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Andrija the digital assistant was given the green light.
06/04/2020.
Andrija’s first test with 500 citizens was given a great first reaction. Symptom descriptions and simplified location division were further clarified.
08/04/2020.
A working group was officially established to lead the new Andrija digital assistant, headed by prof.dr.sc. Branko Kolaric in front of the Ministry of Health, which also included representatives of the Ministry of Administration and members of the CroAI Association.
10/04/2020.
Facebook approved the name: Andrija of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia, and Andrija got a green check mark next to his name.
13/04/2020.
Journalists began testing Andrija. The first questions arrived. Preparations for Andrija’s official launch were underway.
14/04/2020.
Andrija was officially presented by the Croatian Government at a press conference.
These are the statements from key people involved in the ”Andrija” project:
Mislav Malenica, CroAI President and Mindsmiths’ AI Director:
”CroAI brings together companies from Croatia who believe that artificial intelligence is a fantastic opportunity for our country that we must not miss out on. In these uncertain times, we’re proud of the fact that our member companies have become active and are trying to help combat the pandemic with their solutions. Andrija is one such solution, and at the same time, it’s proof that artificial intelligence can be smartly integrated into the public health system and motivate people to actively adhere to the guidelines for the benefit of their health.”
Branko Kolaric, PhD, epidemiologist from the Andrija Stampar Institute:
“Countries that have had the most successful responses to the spread of the disease during this pandemic, such as South Korea and Singapore, have used digital technology to address people on an individual basis. Andrija will help Croatian epidemiologists and the entire healthcare system control the COVID-19 epidemic. During these times, when doctors more burdened than they usually are, a digital assistant can quickly and efficiently provide citizens with up to date information and recommendations. Bravo to Mislav Malenica, Zoran Segic, Jan Stedul, Olga Plazibat, Kristina Fister, Tanja Nemeth Blazic, Mario Sekerija, Mario Aunedi Medek, Bruno Cvetkovic, Zvonimir Frka-Petesic and everyone else who supported this.”
Zoran Segic, Oracle, wrote on his Facebook profile:
“For the last four weeks, we’ve been intensively working and socialising with open, smart, proactive, critical, positive and optimistic people from across the public and real sectors, from different professions, with different values, and with different political commitments, with the sole purpose of delivering something that will help to relieve our health and hospital systems and enable partial self-diagnosis and proactive communication with citizens in the fight against the currently present COVID-19.
The result of this work are the ePasses (e-propusnice) and Andrija the digital assistant. I know that there will always be critical and distrusting people, but for me, as a citizen of this country who doesn’t want to leave it and go to a better place because I want to remain enthralled with the belief that there is no better country or better place to live, I’ve been positively surprised, so I’m free to say that I’m also delighted to see that there were no divisions at any time, that any differences and opinions of the interlocutors were properly appreciated, that the public and private sectors encouraged each other when things were difficult, and that they brought out the best in each other through positive reviews and suggestions, and that they managed to produce two exceptionally beautiful stories in less than a couple of weeks.
They will, like with any other story, have their supporters as well as their critics, for me personally, when we collect impressions, they somehow provide hope that everything is possible if we think rationally, respect each other and if we reach for some higher goals for the future society or state, I won’t say prosperity, but those [goals through which] everyone could live well and promisingly, with some of their small and particular interests. Team, you’ve been wonderful, I’m sorry if I accidentally missed someone out, I consider it a privilege to be able to spend time with you and have the opportunity to work with you, exchange experiences, learn what tolerance, discussion, the appreciation of your interlocutors and difference of mind mean, and as such, grow a little more.
And let’s not forget one important thing, which regards volunteering and donation, where there was almost no material or financial interest on either side… Branko Kolaric, Jan Stedul, Mario Aunedi Medek, Davorin Capan, Neven Bratranek, Igor Rudan, Nika Lazic, Stjepan Oreskovic, Mislav Malenica, Mladen Vukmir, Bojan Stipic, Zvonimir Frka-Petesic, Ivan Malenica, Sasa Bilic, Bernard Grsic, Tomislav Pokaz, Mate Car, Alemka Markotic, Vili Beros, Ivan Lakos, Ivan Miljak, Olga Plazibat, Robert Kopal, Kreso Zmak, Gino Simic, Izabel Jelenic, Marin Tadic, Ana Marija Mlinaric; Vladimir Knezevic. And a special thanks to the self-sacrificing Mladen Novosel who mentored and encouraged us all like a story being told from start to finish.”
Congratulations to Mislav, Branko, Zoran, Zvonimir and everyone else. Personally, I only regret the fact that we needed a pandemic to get people in Croatia to start doing things like this, because so many people in Croatia have excellent ideas, but they’re rarely allowed to develop them further. I believe that many people have been surprised over the past month to see what we, who have been living abroad, have been hinting at for a long time now: Croatia’s isn’t all that far behind EU countries, nor are many EU member states these excellently functioning, promised lands that we’ve become used to thinking of them as.
This text was written by Professor Igor Rudan, originally posted on his Facebook profile, and translated by Lauren Simmonds
For more on the coronavirus pandemic in relation to Croatia, follow our dedicated section.
