Lusaka, 24th August 2016 - WHO Country Office staff are undergoing a training course on the National District Health Information System from 22-27 August 2016. The training which is facilitated by trainers from the Directorate of Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Health is intended to equip the WHO staff with skills on how to use the web-based health facility database called District Health Information System (DHIS2) and to provide access rights for using the facility. The database is the main source of health statistics in the country and is used by programme managers and other stake holders at all levels of the health care delivery system for planning and evidence based decision making. Prior to 2012, the Ministry of Health relied on paper-based health information to collect health facility data which was often times slow in facilitating urgent decision making especially in reporting disease outbreaks.

The training has been designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the main features of the system which include the scope of information collected, types of data sets used, input processes, data processing, analysis and generation of reports by users at different levels. Practical sessions which are allowing access to a training database and the Zambia HMIS server have facilitated good insight and understanding of the system. The course has also provided an opportunity for WHO to provide feedback to MOH on how the features of the system can be enhanced in future versions.

Access to timely and correct health information is very critical in improving the work of WHO at country level. The provision of access rights to this database will ensure timely access to information which will improve support provided by WHO to the Ministry of Health for planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of priority health programmes. This development is also timely as it is in line with the Transformation Agenda of the WHO African Region which is focusing on WHO to be a more efficient, responsive and accountable organization. The WHO Country Office has been taking steps to improve delivery of programmes and responsiveness during health emergencies. 

The DHIS is used in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

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For More information, please contact: 

Nora Mweemba, Health Promotion Officer, Tel: 00-260-211-255325, E-mail:  mweemban [at] who.int

Mr. Solomon Kagulura, Managerial Processes in Health Development Networks, Tel: 00-260-211-255325, E-mail:  kaguluras [at] who.int