Extending IHRIS: MoH and
Innovation in Emergency
Ebola Response
chris fabian / unicef / twitter @unickf / www.unicefinnovation.org
Two MoH registries / resources
DHIS2
iHRIS
central repository of all HMIS
systems for the country
the registry of all health workers
and
the registry list for all facilities
… but they are not connected
mHero
mHero
Connect DHIS+IHRIS data flows
Allow realtime data input from frontline workers on
basic mobile phones
And information management for supervisors
through smartphones
Extending DHIS+IHRIS gives us opportunities
For example…
1) for CDC: sending Ebola lab results to field workers
2) for WHO: polls of facility worker safety
3) for UNICEF: household visit follow-up through SMS
4) …for MoH…: validation of iHRIS database
These opportunities draw from the same government databases, and all of feed into
(connect) common data storage
They use open standards so they can connect to other platforms
mHero: Extending IHRIS
mHero will extend these systems to give the MoH:
1) realtime data for action
2) better access to and connection with field workers and uReporters
3) connections to the database that CDC/WHO/UNICEF and others
are using for forms-based data projects
With collaborations from partners including: Mercy Corps, RBHS, MSF, USAID
GEMS, Intrahealth, INSTEDD, Google, and others
mHero is based upon Principles of Innovation agreed
upon by UNICEF, USAID, UN EOSG, WFP, UNDP and
others including:
1) Sustainability
2) Being open source
3) Local-ownership
(see more at www.unicefinnovation.org/principles)
Emergencies and creating stronger national systems:
Project Mwana
Time in Nameebo Rural Health
Clinic from collection of early infant
diagnosis sample to delivery of
HIV result:
April 2009:
(paper data)
66 days
February 2011:
(SMS data)
34 days
Real-time reporting through basic mobile phones on over 18
million births in Nigeria
Antenatal care across Rwanda (400k pregnant women +
nutritional screening for 800k <2-year children through SMS)
To move forward
1) Prototype a common set of tools (DHIS2, IHRIS, RapidPro, ODK/DCP, etc.)
identified and quick, agile development of solutions:
1) Action: MoH supported by UNICEF, USAID, CDC, WHO, WFP, eHealth
Africa, Google and others
2)Finalize agreements with Mobile Network Operators for shortcodes, data access,
phone numbers, and engineering support through the LTA –
2) Action: MoH followup with LTA supported by UNICEF and USAID: GEMS
3)Create a coordination team in MoH for assessing new projects as they come in
and coordinate across partners
2) Action: MoH set up team, with RBHShelping craft this with input from
UNICEF experience in other markets
chris fabian / unicef / twitter @unickf / www.unicefinnovation.org