Rebuilding Haiti's Health Information Systems
(c) Simone D. McCourtie, World Bank
MEASURE Evaluation's work in routine health system strengthening and health facility assessments in Haiti has been regarded as a key component in the immediate relief effort and in the Haitian Ministry of Health's long-term effort to rebuild health systems.
MEASURE Evaluation has been invited to participate in the ongoing efforts of the Interagency Haitian Health Facilities Working Group to create the most comprehensive, high quality database of health facilities in Haiti.
Michael Edwards, MEASURE Evaluation M&E Specialist, provided the group with the initial list of 900 facilities that began the master list and he has continued contributing new information to the Ministry of Health.
Under the umbrella of the International Health Facility Assessment Network (IHFAN), the periodic component of health facility data collection has informed the work in Haiti that is underway.
The Signature Domain and Geographic Coordinates: A Standardized Approach for Uniquely Identifying a Health Facility” (2007), a white paper authored by IHFAN, outlines the standards for developing unique identifiers for health facilities.
"...from RHINO to IHFAN, MEASURE Evaluation has demonstrated the use of a network of experts to strengthen information systems, build standards, harmonize methodologies, and foster collaboration, coordination and the leveraging of resources across stakeholders," says Bolaji Fapohunda, former IHFAN coordinator. "This scholarship is fully documented on the IHFAN Web site and I am confident that this will be of significant assistance in the upcoming work in Haiti."
Currently, the Interagency Haitian Health Facilities Working Group is comprised of three sub-groups: (1) the technical sub-group that is addressing the creation of data standards, including a facility unique identifier; (2) the ancillary services sub-group, which is looking to create database access addressing the non-medical needs of each health facility, with focus on potable water access, food availability, and housing availability for displaced and convalescing persons, and for medical personnel; and (3) the policy sub-group.
The Interagency Haitian Health Facilities Working Group includes representatives from 9 federal agencies, three multilateral agencies, and eight NGOs.
