By MKT Correspondents
Over 60 Community Health Assistants (CHAs) in Nakuru are undergoing reorientation on the use of the Electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS) in a move aimed at improving data quality, streamlining processes, and enhancing healthcare delivery in community health.
In October 2023 the National Government rolled out eCHIS, a digital platform designed to support community health workers in collecting, managing, and analyzing health information, ultimately leading to better decision-making and improved health outcomes.
The reorientation according to Nakuru County Chief Officer for Public Health Ms Joyce Ncece focuses on updating health workers on the latest features, functionalities, and best practices of eCHIS with an emphasis on the use of the ‘Medicines and Commodity Tool’ component integrated into the larger eCHIS platform.
Ms Ncece noted that the emphasis on the ‘Medicines and Commodity Tool’ was crucial as the component is regularly evaluated and refined to ensure that it meets the needs of Community Health Promoters (CHPS) and communities.
She indicated that the retraining being supported by implementing partners USAID Tujenge Jamii alongside Amref is aimed at strengthening the capacity of CHAs in managing and documenting health commodities effectively through the digital platform.
Speaking during inauguration of the exercise, the Chief Officer noted that eCHIS is a key component of the national strategy to digitize community health services in Kenya, aiming to improve data accuracy, consistency, and timeliness.
She noted that the digital platform facilitates better data collection, analysis, and reporting for community health workers, supervisors, and health system managers.
The CHAs are also being sensitized on effective ways to supervise and support Community Health Promoters (CHPs) who are kitted with essential tools and supplies to enable them to carry out minor treatments, screen clients, and make timely referrals to their linked health facilities.
Ms Ncece explained that proper application of the ‘Medicines and Commodity Tool’ will help in effective management of medicine and commodity supplies, contributing to better healthcare delivery and informed decision-making.
“This specific tool within eCHIS is designed to help health workers manage the flow of medicines and other essential supplies used in their work. It allows them to track inventory, order supplies, and manage distributions efficiently,” explained the Chief Officer.
She noted that the tool facilitates accurate recording and reporting of medicine and commodity usage, enabling better tracking of stock levels and trends, adding that health workers need to be proficient in managing supplies to ensure they have the necessary tools and resources to serve their communities effectively.
The Chief Officer indicated that initiative is part of Governor Susan Kihika’s broader goal to enhance community-level healthcare, increase access to basic medical services, and strengthen the role of CHPs in disease prevention and early intervention.
While noting that by having real-time data on supply levels, health workers can make informed decisions about ordering, restocking, and allocation of resources Ms Ncece said the reorientation will empower health workers to better manage their medicine and commodity supplies, ultimately improving the quality of healthcare services provided to the community.
“Medicines and commodities have already been dispatched to all public healthcare facilities in Nakuru. Proper documentation and follow-up on their usage will be crucial to ensure accountability and effective service delivery. The orientation is also emphasizing the importance of accurate reporting within eCHIS to track health trends and support decision-making at all levels,” the Chief Officer elaborated.
The key features of the tool include the ‘Electronic Inventory Management’ which enables Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to track their inventory of medicines and commodities, ensuring they have what they need to provide services and ‘Data Collection and Reporting’ which allows for the collection and reporting of data on commodity use, consumption, and stock levels, providing valuable insights into the supply chain.
It is also kitted with ‘Decision Support,’ which provides CHPs with data to make informed decisions about ordering, dispensing, and adjusting stock levels, optimizing resource utilization.
Ms Ncece noted that by integrating commodity management into eCHIS, the system can help identify areas for improvement in the supply chain, leading to better efficiency and reduced waste.
With better access to essential medicines and commodities, she observed CHPs can provide more effective and timely care to their communities.
eCHIS also aims to streamline data collection, reporting, and management of various aspects of community health, including the use of medicines and commodities.
Prior to the introduction of eCHIS by the Ministry of Health, the reliance on manual paper-based data systems resulted in poor data quality, limited accountability, misuse of health data, high healthcare delivery costs, and inefficient data utilization for decision-making.
Ms Ncece noted that by leveraging eCHIS, community health promoters can benefit from tools that enable them to record and share household and individual information electronically, monitor patient status and provide timely updates to supervisors, access electronic decision support to guide their work and facilitate faster referrals and patient tracking.
The Chief officer noted that the digital platform enables CHPS to minimize data duplication and improve communication.
“The eCHIS platform has led to improved data quality and accuracy for better decision-making, streamlined healthcare delivery and more efficient workflows, enhanced communication and collaboration among community health workers and better health outcomes for the community,” noted Ms Ncece.
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