Abstract
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to present the workflow on the integration of Maternal and Child Health Care Services (MCHCS) into the electronic Health Information System of the Iraqi Kurdistan (KRG-HIS).Design/methodology/approachAs part of the cooperation between the University of Rome Tor Vergata-Italy and the Iraqi Kurdistan Ministry of Health, six PhD positions were granted for Iraqi students to create a local team of experts with the aim of supporting the scaling-up of the KRG-HIS. After specific training, the team then trained the staff members of the health centers, met health authorities and analyzed the local scenario to ensure that the KRG-HIS could be better tailored to regional needs. In 2019, the integration of MCHCS into the KRG-HIS was one of the main areas of research.FindingsHealth data collection was mostly paper-based, which made vital statistics and evaluation of outcomes difficult to measure. More than 15,000 paper-files from the Duhok Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital were retrieved from storage. Then data entered in the KRG-HIS. Theoretical and practical training sessions were conducted for local staff members, with 183 health operators already having been trained. Daily supervision of the online system and field visits were ensured.Originality/valueThere is a need to support health authorities in improving data collection on MCHCS, ensuring the future self-sufficiency of the HIS. Key to the process is the creation of a specialized team of local experts with the objective of “training the trainers”.
Highlights
Iraqi Kurdistan (KRI) is an autonomous region in the north of the country, subdivided into four governorates
The consequence is a paucity of reliable health statistics and almost nonexistent epidemiological surveillance, with health policies often based on poor evidence [10] and health care quality not efficiently monitored or evaluated [11, 12]
Understanding gaps in Maternal and Child Health Care Services (MCHCS) data collection Data collection at the statistics departments is mainly paper-based with only a few offices using rudimentary computer programs for local data gathering
Summary
Iraqi Kurdistan (KRI) is an autonomous region in the north of the country, subdivided into four governorates. The public health sector, administered by the KRI Ministry of Health (MoH), delivers care at two levels: Public Hospitals (PHs) and Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) [1]. Maternal and Child Health Care Services (MCHCS) are present in many PHCCs and PHs providing care to women and offspring before and during pregnancy, as well as after childbirth. The health of women of reproductive age and under-five children is of special concern to KRI, since they account for nearly 40% of the total population [2]. Some progress has been made in recent decades, women and children still face numerous health challenges, especially high mortality rates. More effort should be put in place to complete the unfinished work of millennium goals [3]
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