Strengthening INDNOR University Research Collaboration around Health Information Systems Sundeep Sahay Institutt for Informatikk University of Oslo

Global Infrastructure Research Group, IFI Long standing tradition of research and development in Health Information Systems GI group in last round in selection of Centre of Excellence in Norway on the theme of Global Health Infrastructures Focus of research on: Norwegian health care system – various interpretive case studies In various developing countries – through HISP action research programme since 1996 HISP India partner for GI group – since 2000

HISP – Health Information Systems Programme HISP is a global south-south-north R&D network Seeks to strengthen R&D around HIS Coordinated by the GI group, IFI

Components of the R&D Network Four key components: Research and action around design, development, and implementation of open source software called DHIS2 (used in 25 countries and 15 states in India) Doctoral studies (currently about 35 PhD students) Masters education in collaboration with universities in the South – Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Bangladesh, Malawi, Tanzania, Ethiopia In-service capacity building in countries Action research is underlying philosophy

HISP India HISP India a key node in Global HISP network – not for profit NGO Active since 2000 in India working at both state and national levels in development & use of integrated HIS in India/South Asia Supported partly through NRC/NORAD Doctoral and masters students from Norway, India and other countries have based thesis work within HISP India Implementing DHIS2 Academy in S Asia

HISP India: Institutional collaborations Academic institutions: AIIMS, Sri Chitra, IIIT Kerala/Delhi, BITS Pilani, SRM, IIHMR Government – NHSRC, NRHMs of 10 states (Kerala, N, HP, Bihar, Orissa etc) International: UN FAO, MoH, Bangladesh, GIZ, PATH, USA, Capacity Plus, UiO, Rockefeller Foundation, HMN, others Starting in Afghanistan, Maldives etc Other entities in the Global HISP network

Strengthening research collaboration GI group aiming for national centre of excellence high quality global research is the ambition Norway-India research key to this ambition India largest and long standing research and development nodes of Global HISP Supporting GLOBVAC initiative Despite this, contribution of Indian doctoral students weak (5 students over 10 years) Rich and untapped research potential INDNOR collaborations are key

Potential Vehicles for collaboration: NORHED NORHED is Norwegian Programme for Capacity Building in Higher Education and Research for Development. Proposed structure: GI Group, IFI - the North partner South partners – Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka Enabling research and education collaboration of informatics and public health institutions

Approach Creating a consortium of universities in South Asia to establish specializations in public health informatics. Drawing upon the GI group decade old experience of running Masters programmes in public health informatics in the South. Partner universities may customize the material to specific university needs creating a common pool of resource material - an open source model of community sharing.

Creating mutual benefits Help develop capacities in these universities to leverage a network model provide mutual inputs in respective individual programs. HISP India a vital cog in this network, an empirical site – “learning by doing” plus a beneficiary of short-term in-service programs Mechanisms of collaboration:  Collaborative research projects  Faculty exchange  Joint seminars, workshops, training

Benefits for states Short term in-service programme for:  Medical Officers, Nurses, District Administrators, Health Managers, State and National administrators Possibilities for doctoral studies for some interested staff with requisite qualifications

Concluding remarks INDNOR represents rich potential for: Research Education In-service training Making a difference in health care Potential been largely unrealized till date In domain of public health, GI group/HISP India/collaborative network provides a vehicle to help realize this potential In India and South Asia