United Nation Children Emergency Fund – UNICEF
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INTRODUCTION
UNICEF Sierra Leone has continued to support the Sierra Leone Health Management Information System (HMIS), which is a core pillar for strengthening the Sierra Leone Health System.
The HMIS is based on an open source web-based software, the District Health Information system version 2 (DHIS2), which is managed by the HMIS Unit at the Directorate of Policy, Planning and Information (DPPI) of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation of Sierra Leone. In this context, a robust DHIS2 system for the tracking of health system activities, inputs and outcomes across Sierra Leone.
The DPPI has requested technical support for the management and upgrade of the DHIS2 system. The technical support would support the management key aspects of the system and ensure the optimal functioning of the system. It is expected to also improve the capacity of the HMIS team and users.
OBJECTIVES:
The main purpose is to strengthen capacity of MoHS staff in the use and management of the DHIS2 software to capture, process and analyze data from administrative records generated in hospitals and clinics in Sierra Leone. Specifically, the Consultant will
- Build the technical capacity of the ICT team to maintain and sustain the back-end of DHIS2 system.
- Build the capacity of the ICT team and MIS of the DPPI MoHS on advanced features of DHIS2 like creating custom forms, building database validations.
- Review and implement methodologies of managing DHIS2 system like user creation and accessibilities.
- Perform a clean up of duplicate and redundant meta data in the system like data element, facilities.
- Conduct a thorough assessment of the DHIS2 hosting platform with dediserve in terms of resource allocation and use.
- Work and complete the eIDSR forms.
- Get started with the SARA tools.
- Work with the HMIS team at the MoHS to review and update current SOPs on DHIS2 data capture, processing and storage.
- Review and update current data entry screens using the recently printed monthly DHIS2 reporting forms.
- In close coordination with HMIS team, “Clean” data system ensuring that all obsolete/duplicate files and records (including records for non-operational health facilities) are deleted from the system.
- Identify and recommend additional options for the data management system, including to automate the collection and reporting of monthly DHIS2 data.
- Lead training on DHIS2 for HMIS staff over a 5-days period. This will comprise HMIS data team, District M&E Officers and Data Entry Operators)
- Produce a mission report document lessons learned with a set of actionable recommendations for HMIS capacity strengthening and improvement of data quality for the attention of senior management in the MoHS and as well for its partners.
- Compilation of Master facility lists and the western area district chefdoms inclusions e.g. East I – II, West and Central.
- Work on GIS shape files and conversions.
- Assist in setting up a demo server for continuous capacity building.
- Support the management of data elements, data entry forms, validation riles, indicators and reports in order to create a fully functional Sierra Leone HMIS for robust data management at all levels of healthcare in the country.
- Support bug fixing and trouble-shooting for the DHIS2
- Support the management of the list of reporting organizations and facilities in the DHIS2
- Support the implementation of relevant apps/modules and other functionalities
- Support configurations required for optimal functioning of the system
- Support the training of health workers, staffs at National, DHMT and Health Facility level.
The training covered the following areas.
- Design and modify DHIS2 data entry forms.
- Working with metadata e.g. Create, edit and delete indicators, data elements and validation rules
- Perform basic administrative commands in Ubuntu
- Installation of DHIS on Ubuntu. Configuration of DHIS2 on Ubuntu.
- Backup and restore on DHIS
- Upgrade the DHIS2 to a new version.
- Measures, standards and procedures to ensure that DHIS2 is always up and running.
- Performing basic data manipulation language (DML) and data definition language (DDl) commands that will be necessary for proper administration on the DHIS2 in PostgreSQL.
- There is need for continuous capacity building especially the technical aspect of the DHIS2 over the next 6months preferably by an expert. The training was conducted to ICT staff that were new the Ubuntu operating system which DHIS2 runs on.
- The demo server that was setup have not consistently up and running due to poor management of the server.
