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Methods Inf Med 1997; 36(02): 115-121
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1634696
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH

District Level Information Systems: Two Cases from South Africa

J. Braa
1   Norwegian Computing Centre/Department of Community Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa
,
A. Heywood
2   Public Health Program, University of the Western Cape, South Africa
,
M. Shung King
3   Department of Community Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
20 February 2018 (online)

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Abstract:

The health system in South Africa has to date been fragmented and centralised. The priority of the new government is to establish an integrated and decentralised district health system of which a key element is the development of district health and management information systems (H & MIS). This paper presents experiences from two projects in the Western Cape in which a process to establish a district-based H & MIS was initiated and a situation analysis of the information systems was done. The two projects applied different research methods but the results show with remarkable consistency that much time is used on data collection, but information is not used at local level. The projects have applied different approaches towards developing a district H & MIS but in both important pre-requisites for a successful, action-led H & MIS include local ownership and motivation, a process based around existing local management structures and the active involvement of the community

Keywords:

Health Information Systems - Management Information - District Health Systems
 

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