Standards, innovation, collaboration, learning - the way we work
Health Information Systems Program (HISP), a global initiative dedicated to enhance health information systems in developing countries, originating in South Africa during the 1990s. At the forefront of this movement is the HISP Center, situated at the Department of Informatics at the University of Oslo (UiO), Norway. The center plays a pivotal role, offering support through global capacity building, implementation assistance, research endeavors, and hosting the core development team for the DHIS2 software.
With this global network, HISP nodes in different countries are committed to a participatory approach, empowering local management of healthcare delivery and information flows. Explore our initiatives and discover how we contribute to the advancement of health information systems worldwide. DHIS2 has been successfully implemented in over 100 countries and territories worldwide. In nations with a national DHIS2 system, a locally registered organization, such as HISP-[Country Name], is often present to advocate for and support the respective DHIS2 installation.
HISP follow a participatory approach in designing, implementing, and maintaining health information systems. Our primary objective is to facilitate management of healthcare delivery and information flows within specific health facilities, districts, as well as at national of regional level. Additionally, we strive to extend these solutions to foster the global dissemination of DHIS2 as a public good in developing countries.
HISP Bangladesh Foundation stands as a key partner in global initiatives, contributing to the establishment and management of DHIS2 as a widely acclaimed and robust solution for organizational, national, regional, and global public health and collaborative information systems.
We also support other open-source software implementation, integration
data exchange with both proprietary and global public IT goods from granular level to at any level of aggregation.
HISP-Bangladesh Foundation is one of the partners of the global initiatives under which DHIS2, a globally well-reputed and robust solution for organizational, national, regional, and/or global public health and collaborative information system has been established and managed in over 100 countries and territories. In countries, where there is a national DHIS2 system, there may be a nationally registered organization named HISP-Country name to promote and support the respective DHIS2 installation.
Established in 2010, HISP-Bangladesh Foundation is registered with Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) since 2014 as a non-profit organization. It caters the national public health and project-based information system of MOHFW, NGOs, and development partners of Bangladesh. The DHIS2 in the data center of Directorate General of Health Services of Bangladesh, has been installed, expanded, and managed by HISP-Bangladesh Foundation. Notably, the Bangladesh DHIS2 system is the world’s largest and the best deployment.
The heavy dependency of th Management Information System (MIS) of MOHFW-Bangladesh on HISP-Bangladesh Foundation over the time helped the foundation to develop diverse and world class capacity in almost all software development platforms, covering almost all areas data and information generation, processing, and dissemination. The domains are vast, viz., DHIS2, HR Information System, National EHR System, organizational data network, online education and training, video meetings and conferences, data mining and reporting, development and maintenance of robust web sites and web portals, etc.
A sound example can be found among different items on the website of DGHS-Bangladesh: www.dghs.gov.bd. In terms of an information repository and showcasing, parallel examples are only rare not only in Bangladesh rather in the whole world. It may be mentioned here that the United Nations recognized the success of this national health information system with the Digital Health 2011 Award to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The current multi-dimensional Bangladesh MOHFW’s national COVID-19 data capture, processing, and sharing with real time practical use is a demonstration of our ability to create and maintain a robust data system. These brighter examples, mentioned above, helped HISP-Bangladesh Foundation, to keep its footprints in multiple countries like Maldives, Timor-Leste. in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF, Global Fund, GAVI, ADB and GIZ. Maldives and Timor-Leste are small island countries, and their problems are unique featuring geographic isolation. The solutions and experiences in these countries for integrated health information system development and support and vast and long successful experience in Bangladesh with specialized immunization tracking system (both physical and individual tracker) can be unbelievably valuable for implementing project of any size, type, depth, and complexities.
Fortunately, the personalities who built this gigantic national health system in Bangladesh have deep understanding about the pros- and cons- and full grammars of health information system, and they are the founders of HISP-Bangladesh Foundation, and now are more engaged and committed with the foundation in Executive Board following their retirement from the government job. The HISP-Bangladesh Foundation Board members were heavily involved during the sudden influx of thousands of Rohingyas in Bangladesh in 2017 to rapidly create a well-coordinated and strong Government-NGOs-DPs health coalition to streamline the effective health service provisions for the Rohingyas. A coordinated web-based health service information system was also built during that time under the leadership of DGHS-Bangladesh and with these persons.
HISP Bangladesh has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Department of Informatics, University of Oslo for joint cooperation on: 1) DHIS2 open source software development; 2) National, regional and global capacity building activities including hosting and arranging DHIS2 Academies and developing teaching curriculums and materials; 3) Joint research and academic activities; 4) Implementation support to Ministries of Health, health programmes and others; 5) Development of integrated health Information architectures in countries and generally; 6) Development of tripartite agreements between the Parties and Ministries of Health for the strengthening of health information systems; 7) Develop a network of action, linking researchers, students, projects, Universities and health authorities in a cooperative network.
Established in 2010, HISP Bangladesh Foundation attained formal registration as a not-for-profit non-governmental organization in 2014 with the Office the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms under the ACT. XXI of 1860. HISP Bangladesh specializes in the development, maintenance, and implementation of health information systems, focusing but not limited to DHIS2, as a member of the global HISP network.
HISP Bangladesh Foundation has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, for cooperation. Also, HISP Bangladesh is a member of ‘HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS PROGRAM PARTNERSHIPS ORGANISATION’, a non-profit company duly registered in terms of the company laws of South Africa (Registration Number: 2016/312682/08) led by HISP South Africa. HISP Bangladesh is also a founder member of HISP Asia regional hub with other HISP nodes in Asia and the pacific region.