The Global Fund supports Myanmar’s Covid-19 surveillance using DHIS2 Software 15.04.2020

The Global Fund through its Principal Recipient Programme of the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC), UNOPS continues to support the Government of Myanmar for the surveillance of COVID-19 in the country using the DHIS2 software which allows secured and timely sharing of data to inform decision making.

Since 2014, Myanmar has been implementing an electronic Health Management Information System (e-HMIS) with the utilization of a web-based, free and open-source software called DHIS2. The tool was developed by the University of Oslo, and serves as a core platform for data collection, reporting and analysis. Nationwide implementation of a Health Information System for public health and hospitals is now operational with the use of DHIS2.

The Global Fund, through the PR of ARHC, UNOPS, has been supporting the Ministry of Health and Sports (MoHS) in implementing the e-HMIS by providing financial, management and technical support. The Global Fund has provided resources for the roll-out of DHIS2 in 277 out of 330 townships for Public Health reporting in Myanmar. The roll-out of DHIS2 for the remaining townships is being supported by other partners including UNICEF, Access to Health Fund, JICA and others. Since 2018, trainings on scaling up the electronic hospital reporting systems using DHIS2 have been conducted in 1,024 hospitals of all States and Regions, with support from financing of the Global Fund, and 17 hospitals with support from Jhpiego. 

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PR of ARHC, UNOPS is working closely with the Ministry of Health and Sports to strengthen the system to allow for active surveillance and timely reporting of COVID-19 related cases. The current Hospital DHIS2 system design is customized and strengthened to collect and report data of the hospital admission and discharged cases to track COVID-19 related patients.

"In our routine hospital reporting system, we have only collected and reported data of patients who are being discharged from the hospitals. In order to help track COVID-19 cases, we have modified the software to include hospital admission cases. The customization was done successfully and the operation started on 27th March. I believe this customization will help MoHS in having accurate electronic data of COVID-19 cases," said Dr. Ohnmar Kyi, Training Officer (HMIS/DHIS2, MoHS).

The support allows the Ministry of Health and Sports to tract the COVID-19 related cases nationwide using the electronic data and to conduct further analysis as necessary to enable them to respond quickly and decisively for the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

As of today, Myanmar has confirmed 74 COVID-19 cases and reported four deaths. The PR of ARHC, UNOPS has been working closely with the Ministry of Health and Sports in Myanmar to support the national response to the pandemic.