Progress on health information system thrills leadership |04 September 2020

The meeting of the joint executive committee of the project (Photo source: department of Health)

Work on the long-awaited electronic health information system (HIS) of the department of health has now reached its third week and progress is on track.

The joint executive committee of the project, consisting of the leadership of the department of health and department of Information and Communication technology met at the department of health on Wednesday this week under

the aegis of the secretary of state for Health, Ambassador Marie-Pierre Lloyd, to review progress on implementation.

The project includes three components, namely the customising, installing and commissioning of a software, network upgrading and peripheral terminals with new computers, laptops, tablets and computers on wheels.

“What I can say with absolute certainty is that the project is on track and it will be completed relatively soon. Based on the scope provided by the department of health and under the guidance of the department of Information and Communication Technology, we will get a health information system that really does what we want it to do!” said Ambassador Lloyd after the meeting.

The principal secretary for Information and Communication Technology, Benjamin Choppy, agreed.

“When it is operational, the HIS will solve many of the challenges associated with patient records and will improve patient care across the board. It is a worthwhile long-term investment which will benefit the whole health system and we are all excited that it has finally started,” he said.

Manorama, an Indian based company earned the US $4.05 million contract to implement the project in Seychelles in December 2019. Financing of the project is through a line of credit from the Export-Import (Exim) Bank of India.

Business process re-engineering began in August this year, with teams in Seychelles and India working together virtually for now.

“There have been some delays in getting the project started because of the Covid pandemic and restriction of movement in both Seychelles and India in part of the first half of 2020,” explains the chief executive of the Health Care Agency, Dr Danny Louange.

The project will take ten months to complete if everything goes according to plan.

Press release from the department of Health