Improving Health through Information Revolution

From 2014 to 2019, APC contributed to the development of the health information system by supporting systems development, capacity building, and networking in all regions of the country and within the FMOH. The health information system expanded to all regions, with data management skills improved at all levels of the health system. Paper-based and electronic systems were developed and implemented at all levels of the health system to inform decision-making. Health facilities were connected with network infrastructure and Internet connectivity. APC worked in close collaboration with federal and regional government and partners to establish and strengthen new and existing components of the health information system. Key systems implemented during the project period include HMIS/eHMIS/DHIS2, which was implemented at more than 2,800 health facilities in SNNPR and Oromia. eIDSR was implemented at all hospitals, 85% of Woreda Health Offices, and 44% of health centers in SNNPR. eMCS was implemented at all hospitals and 44% of health centers in SNNPR. NMSD was deployed in all regions, while ERIS was deployed at 13 hospitals in Addis Ababa. CHIS was scaled up in all regions, and eCHIS was deployed in 1,000 health posts in 4 regions. MRIS/eMRIS was implemented at Zonal and Woreda Health Offices in SNNPR and Oromia. Capacity building was a critical component of the project, with APC training more than 66,000 health care providers, managers, and health extension workers. Training and mentoring were provided in areas such as HMIS data collection and reporting, IT development, data quality assurance, and the use of HMIS data for decision-making. A gradual shift in shared responsibility from APC to the Regional Health Bureaus and the FMOH ensured sustainability of project interventions. The project's systems at a glance include HMIS/eHMIS/DHIS2, used to manage health information through data collection, validation, analysis, and presentation. CHIS/eCHIS is used by Health Extension Workers to manage family/client data, while eMRIS is used by HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Offices to collect non-clinical HIV data. eIDSR is used for early detection of epidemics, and eMCS is used for patient registration and appointment management. NMSD/ERIS is used for management of emergency data and referrals, and Health Net is used to connect health facilities with Internet access and VPN.