COURSE CODE: CCPOP-GHANA 2026 SC003

USING DHIMS2 AND REAL-TIME METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION FOR CLIMATE-SENSITIVE DISEASE SURVEILLANCE

Background

The District Health Information Management System II (DHIMS2) is Ghana's national web-based, open-source health information system used for collecting, reporting, and analysing health data nationwide. Deployed on 1 April 2012 and operational across all 261 districts in Ghana, DHIMS2 provides comprehensive data on health service delivery and supports decision-making through dashboards, maps, e-trackers, and analytical tools. Ghana is among over 100 countries that use DHIS2, which was developed by the HISP Centre at the University of Oslo.

In recent years, the growing impact of climate variability – including extreme weather events, heat stress, floods, drought, and dust outbreaks – has highlighted the urgent need to integrate real-time meteorological information into health information systems. Integrating meteorological data with DHIMS2 can strengthen climate-sensitive health surveillance, support early warning systems, enhance epidemic preparedness, and inform evidence-based public health decision-making.

Goal

  • Understand the importance of data quality within DHIMS2

  • Navigate the DHIMS2 system confidently

  • Interpret key health indicators generated from the system

  • Apply DHIMS2 data in planning, monitoring, and improving health service delivery

  • Understand integration of meteorological data for disease surveillance and decision-making

  • Identify integration areas for early warning systems and dashboards

Learning Outcomes

  • Generate service datasets from DHIMS2

  • Use pivot tables to extract and analyse key health indicators

  • Create DHIMS2 dashboards

  • Develop data visualisations within DHIMS2

  • Interpret integrated health and weather information for early warning systems

  • Appreciate climate information in disease surveillance and decision-making

Requirements

  • Participants must come with a personal laptop or tablet

  • Reliable internet connectivity is required throughout the session