On June 4 the Capacity Project and Ministry of Health (MOH) facilitated a Technical Working Group (TWG) workshop to review progress and next steps on Kenya’s human resources information system (HRIS). The TWG coordinates the functions of the HRIS and consists of members of a larger HRIS stakeholder leadership group (SLG).
The meeting began with an update from local software developers who recently customized the Project’s HRIS software to meet specific needs in Kenya. Initially the HRIS is being populated with Capacity Project data on the Emergency Hiring Plan. Following a software demonstration, the TWG began drafting a list of HR policy and management questions. Dr. Pamela McQuide presented an overview of the Project’s HRIS strengthening approach and led a session introducing concepts of using data for decision making, emphasizing data quality and presentation. Monica Mburugu, TWG Chair and Chief HR Director at the MOH, expressed that she is very pleased with progress to date.
Several follow up meetings were scheduled, including the next TWG meeting, a larger SLG meeting and a Data for Decision Making workshop. The local developers shared the modified code with Dr. McQuide. Capacity Project developers are currently reviewing the code and hope to post it soon.
In February, the Southern Africa Human Capacity Development Coalition (a Capacity Project Associate Award) assisted the Swaziland Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in conducting a workshop on Data-Driven Decision-Making (DDDM). Building on lessons learned from the Capacity Project’s DDDM workshop in Uganda, facilitators helped 28 public-health managers to understand information already available from their human resources information system (HRIS)—strengthened by the Project—and introduced them to tools for making evidence-based decisions. Facilitators included Ministry of Health staff responsible for continuing to strengthen the HRIS. After an overview, participants defined terms, learned how to update information and request reports and analyzed several reports. For many, this was their first time reviewing the reports; several people expressed surprise at the number of vacant posts and staff nearing retirement age. Working groups discussed making data more accessible to inform policy and practice, then revised and prioritized the draft policy and management questions from a previous workshop. Feedback was very positive, with several requests to conduct similar workshops for decision-makers at all levels.
The Capacity Project has published a two-page brief on the results of the Health Workforce Planning Model Workshop, held in Washington, D.C., December 13-14, 2007. The brief summarizes the decisions made in the workshop, including the workforce planning model and priority software features selected for the iHRIS Plan software, currently under development. For more information about the workshop and its results, visit the full HRH Workforce Planning Model Workshop website.
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