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OpenFn & DHIS2
OpenFn is an open-source public service automation & AI orchestration platform used by governments and NGOs around the world. It serves as the orchestration layer for DHIS2 interoperability across health, social protection, education, and beyond. OpenFn automates data exchange, reduces manual entry, and gives program managers timely data for decision-making.
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About OpenFn
OpenFn, a Digital Public Good, is an open-source workflow automation and system integration platform used by governments, NGOs, and implementation partners to connect systems and automate data flows across health, social protection, education, and beyond. Government digital transformation teams and NGOs use OpenFn to safely connect web apps, AI tools, registries, and legacy systems to automate the delivery of essential public services. With 80+ pre-built adaptors and a GovStack—and OpenHIE—compliant architecture, OpenFn enables organizations to build secure, auditable data pipelines without building custom integration infrastructure from scratch; increasing country agency and supporting long-term digital self-sufficiency.
OpenFn is a Strategic DHIS2 Technology Partner.
DHIS2 use case
OpenFn serves as the orchestration layer between DHIS2 and the wider health information ecosystem. In practice, this means automating data exchange between DHIS2 and systems like OpenMRS, CommCare, KoboToolbox, OpenCRVS, and others. This eliminates manual data entry, reduces errors, and creates auditable data pipelines that give program managers real-time visibility into health system performance.
OpenFn provides a dedicated DHIS2 adaptor alongside a library of reusable workflow templates for common integration patterns, including syncing individual records to DHIS2 Tracker, calculating indicator results for DHIS2Â aggregate reporting, OpenMRS to DHIS2, KoboToolbox to DHIS2, and cold chain equipment performance monitoring. These workflow templates enable implementation teams to get up and running faster without starting from scratch.
Real-world example
In Iraq, MSF (Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières) partnered with Madiro and OpenFn to develop and deploy a fully integrated EMR solution connecting OpenMRS with DHIS2, as part of the MSF LIME project.
MSF operates in humanitarian settings where digital systems need to deploy quickly, work offline, and meet the highest security and compliance standards. OpenFn’s workflow automation serves as the orchestration layer managing data exchange between OpenMRS electronic medical records and DHIS2 for program monitoring, transforming and routing patient-level clinical data according to configurable mapping logic – with built-in data validation, error handling, and support for low-bandwidth environments.
A key outcome of this approach was reducing EMR configuration and deployment time from months to weeks; a critical advantage in crisis response where every day matters for patient outcomes. The system was designed as a reusable model that can adapt to different settings, medical typologies, and levels of care, with planned expansion to other humanitarian contexts where MSF operates.
The MSF LIME project demonstrates that with the right orchestration approach, humanitarian organizations can achieve enterprise-grade digital health infrastructure at the speed crisis response demands.