Bizuayehu Adinew is an HEW at Koloba Shameda Health Post (HP) in Sire Woreda of Arsi Zone in Oromia Region. She is the only HEW running the HP, which serves a population of about 5,000. She is also among the first HEWs to implement eCHIS.

Before Bizuayehu started using eCHIS, she had to rely on manual Community Health Information System (CHIS), which involved a lot of paperbased documentation and reporting. This system was time-consuming to use, prone to errors, and difficult to manage. She also had limited access to feedback and support from DHA and from Sire Health Center, which is the catchment PHCU.

The scenario was completely changed when DHA staff visited the HP for mentorship and introduced her to eCHIS. DHA staff explained the benefits of using eCHIS, such as improved data quality, reduced workload, and enhanced service provision. The staff also provided her with a tablet, a solar charger, and SIM card to access the eCHIS platform. The DHA staff trained her on how to use eCHIS and conducted an Information Revolution (IR) assessment to measure her progress.

During the first phase of the mentorship, Bizuayehu was hesitant to use eCHIS, as she was not familiar with the technology and fearful of losing her service data. In addition, she experienced some challenges like network connectivity issues, power shortages, and community resistance. However, with encouragement and continuous mentorship support from DHA staff, she gradually overcame these barriers and became more confident and proficient in using eCHIS.

Within a few months, Bizuayehu’s eCHIS performance had improved significantly. Her IR score increased from 64 percent to 98 percent, making her HP a model HP in the catchment Primary Health Care Unit (PHCU). She was able to record, store, and transmit health data electronically using the eCHIS app without using paper forms. She also received timely feedback and support from DHA and the HC through the eCHIS platform. She noticed that her service quality and coverage improved as she could easily track and follow up on her clients’ service status and needs.

Bizuayehu’s success didn’t go unnoticed. She was recognized and appreciated by the DHA, the HC, and the woreda health office for her outstanding eCHIS implementation.

She was also invited to share her experience and best practices with other HEWs in the catchment area. Then she became a peer mentor for eCHIS and providing training and support to other HPs. Her mentorship helped improve eCHIS and CHIS implementation in the catchment HPs, leading to better data quality and service improvement.

Bizuayehu is proud of her achievements and grateful for the opportunity to use eCHIS. She says, “eCHIS has changed my life and my work. It has made my work easier, faster, and more accurate. It has also helped me to provide better services to my community. I am happy to share my knowledge and skills with other HEWs and help them use eCHIS effectively.”