Routine Health Information Network

Strengthening Routine Health Information Systems through regional networks

Date 11/14/2016

IVth Health System Research Symposium

Vancouver, Canada

RHIS in the spotlight: M&A for Health Summit in June 2015

Call for Action (Action Point 4)

Maximize effective use of the data revolution, based on

open standards, to rapidly improve health facility and

community health information systems, including well-

functioning disease and risk surveillance systems, and

financial and health workforce accounts

2

The role and importance of decentralized Routine Health Information System (RHIS)

Facility-based and ideally also community-based

Main source of information for (daily) planning and management of quality health services at district level and below

Coverage and quality of health interventions

Disease surveillance

Commodity security

Financial management

Also feeding information into national and global levels (for example monitoring of SDGs)

Ideal tool for integrated management of health interventions

3

But we all know ...

RHIS in most LMICs are

woefully inadequate

to provide the needed

information support

...

4

What is wrong with existing routine

health information systems?

Plethora, irrelevance and poor quality of the

data collected

Centralization of information management

without feedback to district and service

delivery levels

Fragmentation into “program- oriented”

information systems: duplication and waste

Poor and inadequately used HIS resources

and infrastructure (including ICT)

AS A RESULT

Poor use of information by users at all levels

5

We have evidence based interventions

to improve RHIS performance

Technical interventions

Establish a set of essential indicators

Redesign RHIS architecture

Ensure interoperability between RHIS subsystems

Organizational interventions

Create an information culture with incentives for use

of information

Behavioral interventions

Capacity building at all levels

6

But, to further the cause of RHIS

strengthening …

… we need advocacy • System strengthening interventions take

time: usually a minimum of 3-5 years

• Lack of visibility as compared to vertical

disease interventions

– Fight against the common mindset: “RHIS

do not work”

– Advocacy network: RHINO

7

RHINO Routine Health Information NetwOrk

Network of organizations and professionals concerned with

improving the quality and sustainability of RHIS in LMICs

Created in 2001 with funding mainly through USAID

(MEASURE Evaluation)

Independent NGO with 501-C-3 status since 2007

Currently 1,000 + members from 60+ countries

Ministries of Health

Bilateral and multilateral donor agencies

Consulting agencies and NGOs

Website: www.rhinonet.org

8

RHINO: summary of activities

Networking:

International Workshops

Potomac, USA, 2001 – Mpekweni, South Africa, 2003 – Chiang Rai, Thailand, 2006 – Guanajuato, Mexico, 2010 – Vancouver, Canada, 2016

Website with moderated listserv

Collaboration with HDC/USAID/WHO/World Bank

Capacity building

RHINO forums on SOTA topics

Listserv exchanges on RHIS best practices and lessons learned

Newly designed standardized RHIS course

Knowledge management

Annotated bibliography on RHIS

Publications

Consultants database

9

RHINO: Results

Global Attention for RHIS strengthening

Health Data Collaborative

Tools for RHIS performance are available (PRISM, DQR, RHIS Curriculum)

Many countries have started RHIS strengthening assessments, plans and implementation (PRISM inventory, 2013)

Need for networking closer to lower and middle income countries

Better south –south learning: sharing best practices and lessons learned

Recent drive for regional networks: RELACSIS -- WAHO --AeHIN

10

RHINO RHIS Regionalization Session

OBJECTIVES Promote the establishment of regional networks for

advocacy and knowledge sharing to strengthen

country investments in RHIS

Discuss best practices and lessons learned from

existing regional networks

Share the WHO and MEASURE Evaluation

frameworks and tools for RHIS assessment and

strengthening

RHINO RHIS Regionalization Session: AGENDA

Keynote Address:

Eduardo Celades (WHO/Geneva): Global RHIS Situation

Regional Network Panel

Juan Eugenio Hernandez (INSP): Latin America

Sanjay Zodpey (PHFI): Asia

Issiaka Zombie (WAHO): West Africa

Vincent Shaw (HISP): Southern Africa

Break Out Groups Discussion

Idea Café: RHIS frameworks, tools, innovation

Routine Health Information Network

THANK YOU