DRC LMIS Requirements Deep Dive

Date: Sept 21, 2020

Objective: Review DRC LMIS Requirements & existing LMIS/MIS landscape to determine if and how OpenLMIS could be used for tracking covid-related commodities and equipment, as well as potential future utilization in the country.

Purpose of this call: Review outputs from past meeting action items and identify any gaps to determine next steps to share with Linda Beth and others at USAID.

Call participants:

• VillageReach (global): Christine Lenihan

• VillageReach (DRC): Freddy Nkosi

• CHAI (global): Gaurav Bhattacharya, Satish Choudhury

• CHAI (DRC): Edna Harimenshi

• Chemonics GHSC Francophone TA: Rachel Hampshire, Angela Elong, Jean-Pierre Sallet

• Stefaan Meyns

• Mahmud

• Call facilitators: Gaurav, Rachel

Notes:

• Rachel: Unsure of purpose of call since Jean wont be joining, are we trying to determine the

• Gaurav: No, OpenLMIS would not be pulling data from DHIS2, it would be collecting lower level supply chain data that would actually feed into DHIS2 and providing richer data. Which then could continue to be pulled out of DHIS2 into InfoMed, but at last call had a discussion about InfoMed having some of those capilities

• Rachel: InfoMed pulls from DHIS2 which doesn’t have facility level data due to lack of connectivity issues at facilities levels. Is that the gap that OpenLMIS would be aiming to fill?

• Gaurav: yes and no - some offline funcitonalit for intermitten connectivity but right now not fullly offline capable for facilities with no connection. Does include facility level stock managment capablities (desription of SM capabilities). Also equipment tracking for things such as ventilators, lab equipment, and oxygen

• Rachel: great that is super helpful, does sound like a complement and filling some gaps that DHIS2 is not addressing. The TA doesn’t have any control or decision-making over DHIS2. Seems like next steps would be with PNAM atthe govenment level to determine if they would want to go forward with that and with the USAID mission

• Gaurav: These were exactly the steps we wanted to get to and wanted to discuss with this group to be aligned and have a united front, next steps can be Edna and maybe others from TA can approach PNAM and then also Linda Beth and USAID. Waiting for funding decisions but there is a lot of interest so we dose

• Rachel - sounds great, Edna hopefully can coordination with Christian in Kinshasha office.

• Angela: Yes agree but can we also hear from Jean-Pierre

• Jean-Pierre: InfoMed is evolving, in Benin now, has advanced additional LMIS requirements. Now covering all LMIS functions and planning to do the same in DRC, but we are quite advanced at recording transactions and functions for LMIS and can upload into DHIS2 or other way around for visualization. We are not part of the PSM project, we know Linda Beth but don’t deal directly with her, since we are a different task order and different project. At the end of the day I think its PNAM’s decision

• Angela: Definitely PNAM’s decision and needs to be aligned with the national health development plan. It is PNAMs decisions, that needs to be brought up with them as much as we can have these conversations

• Gaurav: Yes, can you share information about InfoMed and the capabilities in

• Angela: Would like you all to approach the PNAM to get the information from them since it's their system. Same for Benin, it is the MOH system. For Benin would be the body in that MOH

• Jean-Pierre: They are full transition now

• Gaurav: is InfoMed open-source?

• Jean-Pierre: it is as open as it can be. It doesn’t require licenses, open-source doesn’t mean much to me, but

• Gaurav: So is it licensed as open-source? Like DHIS2?

• Jean-Pierre: Well no, but I don’t think OpenLMIS is licensed that way?

• Gaurav: Yes it is, the code is available online for anyone to download and run if they want. Would we be able to do that with InfoMed?

• Jean-Pierre: well we would need to discuss that with MOH

• Gaurav: Who maintains the system in Benin and DRC?

• Jean-Pierre: In Benin is the MOH, they built capacity to do that maintenance, in DRC is the TA field office.

• Gaurav: Okay - seems like the next step is to follow up with PNAM.

• Rachel: Yes, and I can send some broad strokes info on what is info med and capabilities, we aren’t trying to be difficult but it has been very successful to have PNAM take ownership of system so don’t want to do anything to give the impression that it is still “our” system

• Gaurav: yes totally understand the sensitivities and do think it is a big achievement. Would you be able to facilitate a conversation with the MOH in Benin to get more information?

• Jean-Pierre: All project is in transition. Who are the CHAI people here?

• Rachel: Do you have any folks from CHAI in Benin?

• Gaurav: No, some work with the MOH but no one is based there.

• Edna: Question for Jean-Pierre - is there any timeline as to when the DRC system would be expanded to be similar to Benin’s?

• Jean-Pierre: All project is in transition working on new work plan. Once that is done we can have a timeline but it is an ongoing process.

• Edna: Asking because BINRB is very interested in a system to manage COVID commodities which is an urgent request so want to understand how long it will take

• Jean-Pierre: yes already have a covid app which has also been requested for DRC, being negotiated right now

• Rachel: are including this in FY21 work plan (which will go to end of TA since it is the end of the task order)

• Gaurav: mentioned negotiations right now, is that to deploy in DRC?

• Jean-Pierre: 2 parts - already done work to add covid commodities, just new commodities maybe different sites, set up new testing or treatment centers. Added system for managing public health emergencies such as covid which would provide elmis for temporary or limited sites etc. to track what is received and used/sent not doing any billing or anything.

• Gaurav: and is that in DRC?

• Jean-Pierre: No, but it is integrated in the system. The Benin one and the DRC are the same platform, so we can eventually plug in things from Benin for DRC depending on funding

• Gaurav: OK - no more questions. H

• Rachel: I just sent the information, think I got everyone on the line but feel free to share if I missed anyone.

• Gaurav: Okay, think we can close the call

Background Information about InfoMed

In broad terms:

• InfoMed is a web-based platform that allows for the visualization, analysis and monitoring of pharmaceutical stock and consumption data

• The portal captures patient data from health facilities located in all provinces

•  A web server periodically extracts all latest data captured by DHIS2 and imports this data into InfoMED

• InfoMED RDC consists of 3 main features:

  • Feature 1: Ability to capture logistics and patient data imported from DHIS2 

  • Feature 2: Ability to capture data on ordered quantities, pipeline, and expected deliveries 

  • Feature 3: Ability to display summary reports based on pre-established indicators (Visualization)

From 2018, the DRC has been building a comprehensive logistic information system (LMIS) to prevent the multiplicity of tools:

• District Health Information Software (DHIS2) was customized to capture the needed logistics data 

• An interface between DHIS2 and a new data visualization tool (InfoMED RDC) was created, allowing the analysis, monitoring and visualization of logistics data as tables, charts, and maps – a key factor for MoH and partner buy-in

• By creating an interoperable connection between DHIS2 and InfoMED RDC, logistics data are automatically consolidated at provincial and facility level to represent the single, reliable source of data

• Alongside the MoH, an LMIS manual for health commodity was developed and was recently updated in May 2020 

• User Acceptance Testing (UAT) was conducted, and feedback from users helped fix contextual issues 

• Training conducted for central and health zone (district level – HZ) logistics staff

Data is now visible and accessible at health zone, provincial, and national levels.

The data elements that will be collected from a customized DHIS2 data entry form will be from an agreed list of essential medicines include:

At any time, InfoMED RDC can be extended to allow for facility level transaction management, including receptions and customer request.