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Fra: “Dagmar Timler” diggitydugs@gmail.com
Dato: 18. nov. 2013 07:42
Emne: [ict4chw] HCT project in South Africa using DHIS2 and OpenXdata (as “Capture”)
Til: ict4chw@googlegroups.com
Kopi:
Hi, my name is Dagmar Timler and I am part of a team at Cell-Life
in South Africa.
It’s my pleasure to tell you today about a project initiated by the South African National Department of Health.
Background
The South African National Department of Health (NDOH) identified that mobile technology could play an important role in improving both the speed and the quality of data for informed decision making and improved service delivery in the Public health sector. The Department Tendered for a supplier to design and implement a Mobile Monitoring and Reporting System for the HIV Counseling and Testing and Antiretroviral Treatment data collection programs, the Ward-Based Primary Health Care Workers Community Outreach Teams mobile support initiative and other rapid data submission programmes as may be required.
Through funding from the Department of International Development, under the SARRAH Programme a consortium of HISP
and Cell-Life
were appointed to implement the Project, and used the OpenXdata
software (under the brand name “Capture”) and the DHIS2 to implement the Mobile Monitoring and Reporting System.
Pilot Phase
The pilot phase included all nine provinces in South Africa, selecting one pilot district per province.
This meant, that the project pilot consisted of 937 users and facilities (1 user per facility). The project pilot phase launched in May 2012 and ran successfully until July 2013. The pilot phase started with the reporting data on HIV Testing And Counselling (HCT) which included the number of persons pre-test counseled and also tested for HIV, and also Anti-retroviral Treatment (ART) which collects information on people started and remaining on ART.
The initial data elements collected reports on the HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) programme of the NDOH. The success of the pilot phase was such, that the program is now being implemented in all 52 districts with more than 4000 facilities reporting their HCT and ART data monthly via mobile phones.
Technology
HISP-SA and Cell-Life presented a solution that responds to NDOH requirements by integrating OpenXdata (under the brand name “Capture”) and DHIS2.
OpenXdata (under the brand name “Capture”) is used as the Mobile component for data collection, which enables users to capture, validate their data at the time of capturing and upload data to the DHIS2
DHIS2 is used to store the data submitted via the mobile component and provides flexible analysis and reporting tools in the form of dashboards on user’s desktop - where the page contents are automatically updated from the database – and is fully integrated with reporting tools (iReports, Jasper) and third party analysis tools - Excel Pivot tables and GIS .
This solution will provide facility managers, sub district managers, district managers, provincial mangers and NDOH with instant access of the data collected at facility level and allows it to respond quickly and effectively should it be required.
The technical solution consisted of the following elements:
-
OpenXdata (under the brand name “Capture”): Mobile data collection
-
DHIS2: web based central database
-
APN: Access Point Name with 10 Gig monthly data
-
Data SIM Cards: Vodacom SIM cards linked only to the APN
-
Server: Hosting Capture and DHIS
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Cell-Phones: Nokia 5230
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Please Call Me line (PCM): Used to send the download link to the users.
-
Implementation – set-up (distributing 1000 phones)
Each user was given a Cellphone, SIM card, username and password. The Cellphones were issued by the National Department of Health and the SIM cards are paid for by the National Department of Health. SIM cards were configured to link only to the APN and would not have any access to the internet or make and receive voice calls in order to control costs and limit abuse.
Users send a Please Call Me (PCM) on receiving their phones, that triggers a response SMS directing them to download the mobile phone application which sits on the server and only accessible via the APN.
A PCM is free service provided by South African mobile networks which sends an SMS to a specified number requesting the sender is called back. The PCM was used as it would have been logistically challenging setting up each phone and then having them distributed to the users, and since it was unknown when the users would be receiving the phones, an SMS sent too early could be deleted without being read.
Implementation
Users were instructed by the NDOH to submit the required data on a monthly basis. Once data is submitted from the mobile phone to the openXdata server (under the brand name “Capture”) the data is automatically exported to DHIS2 in an XML format. The form data elements are linked using DHIS specific bindings.
Managers can then access the data and generate the required reports in DHIS2 via the web interface.
Training
The method used in training users on the application was a train the trainers model. 20 master trainers were selected per district and were responsible for cascading the training sessions to the rest of the district.
Each user was provided a comprehensive user guide detailing every step of the process, which mainly included screen shots and explanations on what was required.
Progress to-date
On the whole the feedback from users has continually been very positive. Users like the simple interface and the ease with which data can be inputted and submitted.
It is vital that there is “buy-in” to the solution to ensure that it is accepted and used as specified. This should be incorporated into training sessions to overcome any potential user resistance to change.
To-date, over 900 facilities have been trained and the project team is in the process of planning the roll-out of the balance of approximately 3200 mobiles required to complete the project. Funding is provided jointly by the National Ministry of Health plus DFID who are assisting in the early phases.
The Project Pilot evaluation report together with the project close out report was extremely positive resulting in the recommendation to commence with the full roll-out to the remaining 43 districts.
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*"HealthInformation Management - Making a World of Difference”