This community innovation has been accepted at the 2026 DHIS2 Annual Conference as a physical poster.
DHIS2 Strengthens Border Health Security
The International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) is a core instrument under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) for preventing the international spread of infectious diseases. At Points of Entry (PoEs), timely and reliable ICVP verification is essential for global health security. In Ethiopia, paper-based ICVP verification resulted in operational delays, data quality challenges, vulnerability to document fraud, and limited use of border health data for surveillance and decision making. To address these challenges, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute implemented and scaled a national digital ICVP system using the DHIS2 Tracker platform. DHIS2 was configured to support individual-level traveler registration, capture IHR-compliant vaccination data, generate digital ICVPs embedded with QR codes, and enable real-time certificate verification at PoEs. Core DHIS2 functionalities—including unique identifiers, validation rules, role-based access control, audit logs, and analytics—were applied to standardize workflows and integrate PoE data into the national surveillance system. Implementation at Bole International Airport and subsequent rollout to other PoEs demonstrated measurable improvements. DHIS2 system logs and routine analytics showed reduced processing time per traveler and elimination of manual transcription errors. Data completeness, timeliness, and consistency improved, as reflected in DHIS2 validation and reporting metrics. QR-code–based verification linked to a centralized DHIS2 database significantly reduced the use of forged or altered ICVPs, with invalid certificates detected and logged through system audit trails. Real-time dashboards enabled monitoring of ICVP compliance and vaccination trends, directly supporting operational decisions and public health response. This implementation demonstrates how DHIS2 can operationalize ICVP verification at scale, transforming a paper-based regulatory requirement into a reliable, data-driven component of national border health security and IHR compliance.
Primary Author: Hunde Merga, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Ethiopia
Co-authors: Akalu Demeke, Ashanafi Sisay, Temesgen Lemi, Mandefro Kebede**,** Mesfin Wossen, Dr Melkamu Abte, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Ethiopia
Keywords:
DHIS2 International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) Points of Entry (PoEs) Digital Health Border Health Security
This is a very interesting implementation. Thank you for sharing. May I ask, how is the registration process for travelers? Is it through a public portal or normal DHIS2 data entry?
Hi Gift,
Yes, a very good question… I did a google search and found this website: https://e-thtp.ephi.gov.et/ I assume it’s the public portal that’s being used, but I’d wait for confirmation and more insights from @hunde .
Thanks!
Dear Gift,
Thank you for your interest.
Yes.Travelers complete the registration through a public portal before travel. The information submitted is integrated into the DHIS2 Tracker system, where travelers are automatically categorized into green, yellow, or red risk categories based on predefined screening criteria and public health risk assessments.
At the Point of Entry, border health officers verify the traveler information and ICVP status through the DHIS2 platform for screening and further action when required.