IMPILO E-HR/CBS
With funding from PEPFAR through the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) we are Strengthening Epidemiology and Strategic Information in the 44 districts of the Republic of Zimbabwe under the Impilo E-HR/CBS project.
The project aims to build the MoHCC capacity at the national, provincial, and district levels to collect key strategic information (SI) required to measure progress towards achieving epidemic control and generate a strong evidence base for informed program decision-making in Zimbabwe.
The program provides technical assistance (TA) to the MoHCC to improve the institutionalization and long-term sustainability of the national IMPILO electronic health record (E-HR) and other data systems. TA focuses on ongoing development of the national Health Information System (HIS) strategy through inclusion of the Impilo E-HR into key government policies such as the National Health Strategy (2021-2026) and Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) policy to support efficient utilization of resources, capacity building and skills transfer to MoHCC. The program aims to align the HIS with national HIV program monitoring and evaluation indicators, towards the overall goal of an integrated, standardized, user-centred system for data collection, transmission, storage, access, and use. This enables all implementing partners offering TB/HIV services to rely on a harmonized HIS ecosystem, thereby avoiding vertical, siloed deployment of technologies for cost effectiveness and sustainability. The project supports MoHCC to develop, implement and govern a standards-based health information exchange (HIE) based on the OpenHIE interoperability architecture, enabling linkage and exchange of data between the E-HR and other HIS used by MoHCC, thereby improving efficiency of data transmission, security and enhancing data use. The program’s goal is to sustain E-HR software development and expand E-HR coverage and provide and maintain reliable power back-up and networking infrastructure to ensure real-time and continuous availability of data across facilities. The project seeks to improve data use at all levels through enhanced data visualization, customization, and usage. By increasing support to the MoHCC implementation teams through mentorship and training, the project will foster ownership by the MoHCC for sustainability.
The program also supports the rollout and implementation of HIV Case Based Surveillance with/without recency testing to enable identification of recent HIV infection clusters for targeted interventions. Analysis of data collected through E-HR allows implementation of public health response activities to address program gaps. Support for recency testing also includes routine proficiency testing and quality control activities for facility-based health workers, as well as monitoring supply chain for Asante kits and other commodities.
Short-term project outcomes:
- Improved functionality, coverage, and utilization of the Impilo E-HR by HCWs across health facilities to support quality of care and improved HIV/TB health outcomes.
- Improved HIV CBS implementation and data use to inform public health responses.
- Interoperability of the Impilo E-HR with other Health Information Systems (HIS) used by the MoHCC namely: LIMS for laboratory data, DHIS2 for data visualization and reports, and Logistics Information Systems for pharmacy and other health information systems to improve patient level monitoring across the HIV prevention and care cascade.
- Increased MoHCC ownership, accountability, and capacity to manage the national HIV response using a locally developed and sustainable E-HR system.
Long-term project outcomes:
- Reduced HIV incidence and improved HIV/TB quality of care and health outcomes and evidence-based decision making.
- Improved VL monitoring.
- Increased shared functionality and data usage across multiple sectors and agencies.
- Strengthened MoHCC capacity to maintain, enhance, and sustain the Impilo E-HR and other systems within the national Health Information System (HIS) and increased capacity to effectively respond to emerging public health threats.
