Supporting Health Information System Recovery in Ethiopia’s War-Affected Areas

The Ethiopia Data Use Partnership (DUP), a joint initiative of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health (MOH) and JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. to transform the country’s health data management system and data practices through the Information Revolution agenda, recently donated 100 information display boards, 54 computers, and 19 printers to health facilities in the Amhara and Afar Regions.

The war in the northern part of the country has drastically affected health care institutions in the area. With the health system infrastructure destroyed, services are halted, exacerbating mortality and morbidity in those communities. The donation, as part of a national recovery initiative, will facilitate the generation and use of high-quality health data.

Abdelkarim Mengistu, head of Amhara Regional Health Bureau, says that the donation is “very encouraging and the regional health bureau highly appreciates DUP’s effort for donating those materials.”

DUP has been supporting health facilities in both regions to implement the Information Revolution since 2017. DUP, MOH, and the regional health bureaus had classified some of the facilities as service points that improved use of data; evidence-based decision-making; and online data sharing, but the war has reversed this progress.

DUP has been involved in the national recovery effort through drafting content, providing a costing template, and contributing to initial strategy sessions. In particular, DUP organized a 10-day workshop to develop a national post-conflict health recovery plan and led the development of the costed implementation plan to restore health information system functions.

“This equipment support will surely contribute to the restoration of health information system capabilities in facilities affected by the war. We hope it will enable the facilities to deliver essential and critical health services to the community,” says Wubshet Denboba, DUP project director.