Participants in the Ssese DHIS2 training. Seated L-R: KCPHS Project Manager Christine Zawedde, METS Program Manager Evelyn Akello, CDC Data Management Specialist Patrick Omiel and HMIS Coordinator Stephen Ocaya

Mets Program engaged the Ssese Islands Health Facility staff in a five day DHIS2 training. The training targeted 20 people but over 30 health personnel participated. These included nurses, Medical Records Assistants, Volunteers at KHCIV, clinical Officers and M&E Officers. The District Health Office was well represented by the District Bio-Statistican and the HMIS Focal Person.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has been implementing various tools to collect its data from health facilities. District Health Information Software-Version 2 (DHIS2) is one of these tools used to collect, validate, analyse, and used in presentation of aggregate statistical data, tailored to integrated health information management activities. It is a generic tool that allows for the customization of the contents of a specific information system without the need to program. The training included data quality and presentation, data entry, DHIS2 messaging, data validation, GIS map, innovations, pivot tables and the dashboard (data visualizer).

Nathan Kayemba from Mazinga HC III takes participants through the challenges data entrants face that result into poor data

The participants were from fourteen health facilities across the Ssese Islands and the Kalangala Comprehensive Public Health Services (KCPHS)Project. The facilities included Kalangala HC IV (KHCIV), Bufumira HC III, Mugoye HC III, Ssese Island African AIDS Project (SIAAP)-Bugoma HCII, Lujjabwa Island HCII, Bukasa HC IV, Lulamba HC III, Bwendero HC III, Mazinga HC III, Mulabana HC II, St. Elizabeth Bumangi HC II, Bubeke HC III, Kasekulo HC II and Kachanga HC II.

Ms. Evelyn Akello, Program Manager METS

Ms. Evelyn Akello, Program Manager METS emphasized the need for continued use of the system as this was the one sure way to master it, she however cautioned that the paper based system should not be entirely dropped by users in the different health facilities.

The training was conducted by HMIS Coordinator Stephen Ocaya, HIS Analysts Jonathan Mpango and  Milton Kaye; all from METS and CDC facilitator Patrick Omiel