Health Information Systems in Rwanda - Sustainability, Open Source Software, and Android

Abstract

A common goal for Health Information Systems in developing countries that are supported by outside actors is eventual self-sustainability. Sustainability is based on the fulfillment of needs in both financial and human capacity which are often lacking in low resource contexts. In this thesis I show how using Open Source softwares such as the DHIS 2 can improve sustainability as it is both free of charge, and as it encourages local capacity building in administration, maintenance, and use. This has been made possible by working with key actors of the HIS in Rwanda and with other important participants of the global DHIS 2 community. I use the methods of Action Research and Participatory Design, and I take part in projects related to the computer systems of the HIS, one of which being the development of an Android application with the goal of enabling easier data accessibility for those in analytical positions as users of the DHIS 2 software. Further, as computer system use in HIS is becoming more and more common, DHIS 2 is naturally not the only supporting computer based system being used. A negative aspect of that is that fragmentations of computer systems occur as results of independent programs, which has been the cause of duplications of data and redundant work efforts. Through efforts done at the Ministry of Health in Rwanda I show how merging and reducing systems, and creating automatic interoperability applications for synchronization can reduce such problems and can make the HIS more effective.

A common goal for Health Information Systems in developing countries that are supported by outside actors is eventual self-sustainability. Sustainability is based on the fulfillment of needs in both financial and human capacity which are often lacking in low resource contexts. In this thesis I show how using Open Source softwares such as the DHIS 2 can improve sustainability as it is both free of charge, and as it encourages local capacity building in administration, maintenance, and use. This has been made possible by working with key actors of the HIS in Rwanda and with other important participants of the global DHIS 2 community. I use the methods of Action Research and Participatory Design, and I take part in projects related to the computer systems of the HIS, one of which being the development of an Android application with the goal of enabling easier data accessibility for those in analytical positions as users of the DHIS 2 software. Further, as computer system use in HIS is becoming more and more common, DHIS 2 is naturally not the only supporting computer based system being used. A negative aspect of that is that fragmentations of computer systems occur as results of independent programs, which has been the cause of duplications of data and redundant work efforts. Through efforts done at the Ministry of Health in Rwanda I show how merging and reducing systems, and creating automatic interoperability applications for synchronization can reduce such problems and can make the HIS more effective.