Features and Uses of The District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2)

What is the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2)?

DHIS2 is a free, open-source software platform for collecting, analyzing, visualizing and sharing data. The DHIS2 lets you manage and analyze aggregate and individual-level data with a flexible data model. It includes advanced features for dynamic data visualization, like maps, charts, pivot tables and dashboards, as well as social analytics features to help you bring meaning to your data. The software was developed by the Health Information Systems Programme (HISP) as an open and globally distributed process with developers currently in India, Vietnam, Tanzania, Ireland, and Norway. The development is coordinated by the University of Oslo with support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and other donors.

Today, the DHIS2 is the world’s largest Health Management Information System (HMIS) in use by ministries of health in over 73 low and middle-income countries. About 2.4 billion people (30% of the world’s population) live in countries where the DHIS2 is used, and with the inclusion of NGO-based programs, the DHIS2 is used in over 100 countries.

Key Features of the DHIS2

Customisation and local adaptation through the user interface. No programming required to start using DHIS2 in a new setting (country, region, district etc.).
Flexible and dynamic (on-the-fly) data analysis in the analytics modules (i.e. Geographic Information Systems-GIS, PivotTables, Data Visualizer, Event reports, etc).
A user-specific dashboard for quick access to the relevant monitoring and evaluation tools including indicator charts and links to favourite reports, maps and other key resources in the system.
Easy to use user-interfaces for metadata management e.g. for adding/editing datasets or health facilities. No programming needed to set up the system in a new setting.
Functionality to design and modify calculated indicator formulas.
Functionalities of export-import of data and metadata, supporting synchronization of offline installations as well as interoperability with other applications.
The ability to integrate with external software and extension of the core platform through the use of custom apps.

Uses of DHIS2

The DHIS2 can be used for the following:

Collecting data.
Running quality checks.
Data access at multiple levels.
Reporting.
Making graphs and maps and other forms of analysis.
Enabling comparison across time (for example, previous months) and space (for example, across facilities and districts).
Displaying data in time series to see their minimum and maximum levels

DHIS2 Training at eHealth4everyone

The beginners to advanced DHIS2 course at eHealth4everyone is a comprehensive and intensive training that covers all aspects of the software, from introduction to the software to its configuration and maintenance – all at an affordable price. The training is held by a team of globally recognized DHIS2 experts. We have trained members of staff from several notable organizations such as the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), and many others. Click here to see the testimonials from our past trainees.