HMIS Architecture
MEASURE Evaluation Strategic Information for South Africa (MEval-SIFSA) helped to implement the district health management information system (DHMIS) policy. The three strategies MEval-SIFSA employed to improve HMIS architecture were to strengthen DHMIS help desks, to establish an e-learning platform, and to improve geospatial data analysis and use.
An assessment revealed that some provinces had IT help desks but they were not supporting the DHMIS; in some provinces, help desks didn’t exist; within provinces and at the national level, staff lacked understanding of how to adhere to help desk stipulations in the DHMIS policy. The project provided technical assistance to implement help desks in Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West provinces and the health information research, monitoring and evaluation (HIRME) cluster of the NDOH.
By the end of 2016, the national level and all six provinces had help desk implementation plans and in two provinces—Mpumalanga and Free State—fully operational help desks had been established. In 2017, Eastern Cape’s help desk became fully operational.
For e-learning, MEval-SIFSA developed a platform with three training courses and trained administrators from seven provinces to maintain the platform and develop new e-learning courses. The project also developed videos to support implementation of the policy on reducing patient waiting times.
At the national level, the project worked with the NDOH to develop a national geographic information system (GIS) strategy with a goal to guide the department on how to implement GIS activities, to increase the capacity of SAG staff in provinces to use GIS, and to create a heightened culture of GIS use. In Free State, Gauteng, and North West provinces, MEval-SIFSA provided training and post-training assistance to staff to develop maps. The project developed more than 100 maps used to help follow up on HIV-positive clients. The project provided TA to Mpumalanga Province to use geospatial data analysis for its 10-year strategic plan. Mpumalanga is the only province in South Africa in which all 27 of its districts are PEPFAR priorities.
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