The Syrian Ministry of Health held an extensive workshop today, Tuesday, at the Sham Hotel in Damascus, to discuss the country's health information systems and the plan to roll out the DHIS2 system, specialized in collecting, analyzing, and managing health data, across governorates. This workshop comes within the framework of support provided by Norway, health sector partners, and information systems management, with the participation of Health Minister Misbah Al-Ali and representatives from the World Health Organization and the University of Oslo.
Health Minister Misbah Al-Ali emphasized the importance of the workshop at this critical stage, which requires rethinking work mechanisms and directing partnerships towards building a health and digital system capable of responding to citizens' needs. He pointed to the Ministry's direction towards building an integrated national system for managing health information, providing accurate and updated data, and supporting strategic planning, expressing his appreciation for Norwegian support in the health and humanitarian fields.
For her part, the Norwegian Ambassador to Syria, Hilde Haraldstad, indicated her country's direction to enhance developmental cooperation with Syria, particularly in the health and energy sectors. She emphasized the importance of developing health information systems in cooperation with the World Health Organization, the University of Oslo, and relevant partners, noting that Norwegian support comes through cooperation between the World Health Organization, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, and the Norwegian Embassy in Syria.
For his part, Maher Salama, Head of the Statistics Department at the Ministry of Health's Planning and Statistics Directorate, clarified that the DHIS2 health information system works on collecting data from various primary healthcare centers and analyzing it directly. He pointed out that presenting results through clear dashboards contributes to strategic planning and makes decisions based on studied figures to direct support to the most needy areas.
On her side, WHO Representative in Syria, Caroline Clarinval, explained that the path to automating and modeling the health system in Syria is proceeding according to integrated action plans targeting various levels. She noted that the strategic partnership with Norway contributes to providing the necessary software and infrastructure, along with specialized training programs to ensure the efficiency of system operations.
The workshop continues for three days and includes a presentation of the reality of the health sector in Syria and a roadmap to develop the health information system. The Ministry of Health announced on October 29 last year the start of applying the DHIS2 system in Damascus Governorate as a first phase covering 8 health districts, paving the way for gradual expansion to other governorates.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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