HISP Highlights March 2026

March was a busy month across the HISP network, with intensive training activity on multiple continents, new implementation milestones, and growing engagement at the global level. From Rwanda to the Caribbean, teams were in the field—building capacity, deploying new tools, and deepening partnerships with the ministries and agencies doing the work on the ground.

This month’s highlights include a five-day workshop on DHIS2 and geographic information system (GIS) integration across seven Caribbean nations; a new electronic medical record system going live in the Central African Republic; a technical mission to assess Angola’s national health information system; and a roundtable in Oslo on the future of Norway’s development policy.

Scroll for updates in Training, Implementation, and Events.

Training

DHIS2 and GIS Training in Trinidad and Tobago
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), in collaboration with HISP UiO, conducted an intensive five-day workshop on geographic information system (GIS) and DHIS2, aimed at strengthening the integration and use of these tools to support timely, accurate, and actionable public health surveillance. The training, led by HISP UiO colleagues Juan Manuel Alcantara Acosta and Pablo del Medico, brought together technical officers, public health professionals and information technology professionals from across seven Caribbean countries to enhance their skills in configuring and using DHIS2, applying GIS tools for disease mapping, improving data quality, and developing dashboards to support evidence-based decision-making. More

Ethiopian Calendar Android App Launch Training
The DHIS2 Ethiopian Calendar Android App initiative has officially launched with a focused, three-day stakeholder workshop. HISP Ethiopia will be leading the development of app, in consultation with Federal Ministry of Health Ethiopia and JSI. In March, representatives from diverse organizations and regional bureaus gathered to review and validate the inception report, and examine the draft requirements for the application. More

Digitalized REC Microplanning Tool Training
HISP Rwanda supported the Rwanda Biomedical Centre and partners in facilitating a training on the Digitalized REC Microplanning Tool, 9–13 March. The HISP Rwanda team led technical sessions on the digital microplanning system integrated into the DHIS2 platform, enabling central-level staff and hospital EPI supervisors to develop, analyze, and automatically generate ready-to-use immunization microplans using digital tools. More

DHIS2-Ed Training with World Food Programme
HISP Uganda‘s DHIS2-Ed team conducted training for World Food Programme Karamoja staff, March 12-13. This training focused on using DHIS2 to track the school feeding program in the region. This initiative served as both a refresher for existing team members and an onboarding session for new staff following the full digitization of 315 schools in the region, which have been utilizing the platform for reporting and program accountability. More

Microplanning Workshops in CAR
HISP Rwanda supported workshops for more than 188 attendees across the Central African Republic, including local health authorities and partners to develop micro-vaccination plans for each health facility. This work has enabled health workers to identify target populations, adapt vaccination strategies, and plan activities for the year 2026. More

DHIS2-iHRIS Integration Workshop in Ethiopia
HISP Ethiopia, in collaboration with the Ethiopia Ministry of Health, hosted a DHIS2–iHRIS Integration Workshop in March, bringing together key stakeholders and technical teams to define and document priority use cases for DHIS2–iHRIS integration; identify system interoperability needs and data exchange requirements; begin drafting software and functional requirements for the integration; and strengthen collaboration between program, data, and technology teams. More

Workshop for RH/FP/AYH in Ethiopia
HISP Ethiopia is engaging with the Federal Ministry of Health Ethiopia and Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia (FGAE) in standardization and digitization of reproductive health (RH), family planning (FP), adolescent and youth health (AYH) monitoring tools. As part of this effort, the team supported a two-day stakeholder workshop focused on developing an integrated monitoring and evaluation checklist for the program using DHIS2. More

Implementation

HISP UiO Field Work in Rwanda
Following the DHIS2 Workshop on Spatiotemporal Modeling of Climate-Sensitive Diseases in Kigali, several of our colleges from HISP UiO remained in Rwanda to conduct field work at several sites across the country. The team visited health facilities to learn how frontline workers are using data to monitor climate-sensitive diseases—and what it takes to make that data actionable. Insights from the field will feed directly into DHIS2 climate and health feature development, helping ensure the tools reflect real-world conditions and workflows in the countries that need them most. More

Technical Mission in Angola
HISP UiO and WHO Angola, in close collaboration with Angola’s Ministry of Health, conducted a technical mission to assess the readiness of the country’s national health information system to support it’s next phase of transformation. With over 4,700 users in the system and increasing reliance on digital tools, ensuring system uptime, performance, and user support is essential. Next, Angola plans to continue with system optimization, a DHIS2 software upgrade, interoperability with priority systems, and other changes. More

HISP EMR in the Central African Republic
HISP Rwanda is supporting the deployment of the HISP EMR (e-SENI) system in the Central African Republic (CAR), in partnership with the Ministry of Health and The Susan Buffet Foundation, under the SENI project. The system enables healthcare providers to capture, store, and access patient information across hospital departments in real time. From patient registration and consultations to lab tests, pharmacy management, and automated reporting to national health systems, the EMR strengthens clinical care, hospital management, and data-driven decision-making. More

Events

Roundtable on Norway’s Development Policy
HISP UiO, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Norad, hosted a roundtable on Norway’s development policy, led by State Secretaries Stine Renate Håheim from the MFA and Marte Ingul from the Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Administration. This was a dress rehearsal for other roundtables to be held in several locations in Norway throughout the rest of the year as part of Project Vendepunkt, a new initiative organized by the Norwegian government that will help shape the future of Norway’s development assistance. More

Japan International Cooperation Agency visits HISP UiO
A delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) visited HISP UiO for a three-day technical workshop exploring how DHIS2 can support Japan’s Digital Maternal and Child Health Handbook initiative. Over three days, the teams dove into the technical requirements for using DHIS2 Tracker to support antenatal care, postnatal care, delivery, immunization, growth monitoring, and nutrition programs—as well as Android customization, data integration with external health records systems, and long-term collaborative pathways. More

India AI Impact Summit
UiO Professor Morten Dæhlen, part of a delegation from Norway, discussed HISP during his presentation on trustworthy AI at the 2026 India AI Impact Summit. His presentation was part of a main session organized by TRUST – The Norwegian Centre for Trustworthy AI, which featured speakers including Karianne Tung, Norway’s Minister of Digitalization and Public Governance, along with global leaders addressing the real-world challenges of developing and governing AI. More

Digital X 3.0 Webinar by UNDP the Government of Japan
HISP UiO colleague Pamod Amarakoon was a featured speaker during a March Digital X 3.0 webinar hosted by UNDP and the Government of Japan. In his remarks, Pamod spoke about the three first steps for a developing country to take with digital health. More