Ethiopia’s electronic community health information system: a tool to achieve universal health coverage

Ethiopia has implemented an electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS), a digital instrument to enhance community health services. eCHIS, which was established in 2018, facilitates the digitisation of data collection for 18 health programs, including immunisation, maternal health, and disease management, to assist Health Extension Workers (HEWs). The system consists of three mobile applications: a supervisory app for monitoring and support, a referral app for health centres, and one for HEWs to facilitate the management of health services.eCHIS enhances vaccine distribution planning by providing precise population data, sending automated reminders to parents, and assisting in the tracking of immunisations. eCHIS is being utilised by more than 25,000 health professionals in more than 8,000 health posts, which collectively serve approximately 22 million individuals, as of March 2024. The system has facilitated the immunisation of more than 100,000 children, reduced the number of vaccination defaulters through improved data monitoring, and enabled corrective actions, such as door-to-door campaigns, in regions with low immunisation rates.The burden of maintaining both paper and digital records, the necessity for capacity development, and internet connectivity issues are among the challenges. The Ministry of Health has implemented a Centre of Excellence for eCHIS at Jimma University, piloted digital-only data entry in select regions, and enhanced training to resolve these concerns. Future objectives include the exploration of artificial intelligence (AI) for data analysis and the development of a "lite" version for low-storage devices.