Dr. Mwendwa Eunice Mwenesi,Tanzania Ministry of Health and Social

Welfare,Presentation to the mHealth Working

Group, Washington DC, December 1st, 2011

Current Tanzania MoHSW mHealth Priority AreasDevelopment and Implementation of National

mHealth StrategyRoutine data collection; (HMIS)Health logistics monitoring ( e.g. Drug stock

monitoring)Communication and training of healthcare

workers;Disease and epidemic outbreak tracking (e.g.

IDSR)Reproductive and Child Health Services. (e.g.

ANC, PMTCT etc) Education and awareness; (e.g. HIV, TB etc)

HMIS Precedent and ChallengesHMIS is undergoing main review of its routine data collection and software (DHIS) to address key challenges facing the current Health system including:-Lack of integrated systems limits data sources, efficiency, and sophistication of analysis. Lack of infrastructure, human resource capacity, and policies for sustainability.HMIS implementation and development fragmented by administrative, donor, poor infrastructure and financial barriers. A complex paper based HIS burden to users leading to reduced efficiency. Gap between information system and health systems managers blocks collaboration.

HMIS Precedent and PrinciplesHealth Metrics Network (HMN) Framework and Routine Health Information Network (RHINO)- Key principles:Country leadership and ownershipBuilding upon existing initiatives Broad-based consensus and stakeholder involvementGradual process with a long-term visionFlexible responsiveness to changing needs

Tanzania mHealth Strategy DevelopmentGovernment Support for Strategy development, including the following key areas:

Strategy and Public Health ‘Business’ Alignment: Strategy and investment planning with a focus on health impacts and alignment with existing Ministry strategies

Policy and Governance: Laws, regulations, governance principles, ethics

Management: Organization of responsibilities and decision-making functions to coordinate the people, processes, and technology of mHealth;

Organization and Skills: Structure, hierarchy, resources and facilities in Ministry

Technology and Architecture: Infrastructure of a mHealth and eHealth systems

mHealth Strategy Initiative WorkshopKey Approaches:-

Local leadership: Ministry of Health and Social Welfare

Build on existing initiatives: Community of PracticeDemand-led: response to call for national strategy by

Community of Practice members and other implementing partners

Collaborative: participatory process, common vision and elected action plans

Broad-based: stakeholders from health providers, funders, mobile operators, application developers, eHealth, technology and innovation promotion, academia and research

mHealth Strategy Key ApproachesFocused: targeted to health needsLeverage global and local lessons: based

on local stakeholder inputs, global literature and expert interviews, MOHSW and Deloitte’s experience with national strategies

Gradual and iterative: phased development of national strategy framework

Flexible: framework adaptable to evolving and variable needs

Unity is power, let us Unite

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