The most important step to getting actionable data that can be used to inform decision making is the first one: capturing it. Traditionally in a Health Management Information System (HMIS), data was collected in aggregate format on paper forms, which were then submitted to a central office for manual entry into a database. DHIS2 core software decentralizes this process by providing a web-based platform where users can enter data from any level within an organizational system, from the office of the Minister of Health down to a medical worker at an individual health center, provided that a computer with internet access is available. The DHIS2 Android Capture App extends this functionality even further, allowing healthcare workers to enter data directly into their central DHIS2 database from their Android phone or tablet, wherever they are.
Using DHIS2 Capture on mobile devices has the potential to greatly increase the effectiveness and accuracy of the data collection process by reducing bottlenecks, reducing the opportunity for introduction of errors or duplicate entries, and reducing reporting time. It also facilitates the extension of health sytems from aggregate to individual-level (case-based) data, by putting the tools for data collection directly in the hands of the health service providers at the community level. Because the app works in offline mode, it also allows for data capture in the most remote and challenging environments, where internet connectivity may be limited.
The DHIS2 Android Capture App is not a stand-alone application, but a mobile extension of the DHIS2 core platform. As such, it can be seamlessly integrated into existing DHIS2 systems, and works natively with aggregate, Tracker, and Event programs. Because the app is built and maintained by a core DHIS2 software team, it is regularly updated for compatibility with the latest DHIS2 releases. DHIS2 Capture for Android was released in 2018 as a replacement for several legacy DHIS2 mobile apps, and has since gone through several rounds of performance improvements and feature enhancements, resulting in a robust, stable and scalable mobile application, with more than 23,500 monthly active users as of the beginning of 2020.
This page provides an overview of the DHIS2 Android Capture App including where it is being used, key features, examples of real-life use cases, and information on how you can test the system yourself. You can also explore the following pages for more information:
Feature overview, documentation, and support >> Learn more
What can DHIS2 Tracker do?
DHIS2 Tracker provides a customizable platform for entering, tracking, analyzing, and reporting individual-level data with the DHIS2 software platform. Multiple Tracker programs can be added and maintained in a single DHIS2 instance. Some key Tracker features include:
Enroll individuals into longitudinal and chronic programs, and improve retention by using Tracker to schedule visits, set up automated SMS reminders, track missed appointments.
Link individual persons with each other using relationships, and enroll unique records in several health programs without duplicate data entry.
Collect anonymous or one-off (non-longitudinal) individual-level data records using the Event data model.
Define your own case-based programs, decide what data to collect at each stage, and use program rules to simplify data entry forms.
Generate daily or weekly visit schedules (work plans) for your facility or community health workers.
Collect detailed data aligned with standardized codes (such as ICD-10) and surveys (such as WHO's SARA survey) and link them to aggregate indicators for national and international reporting.
VIsualize and analyze your data with tables, charts, graphs, and maps, including the option to easily define custom map areas related to specific programs.
Analyze relationships between tracked entities (such as for contact tracing during a disease outbreak) and visualize relationships on a map.
Collect data online in a web browser, or using Android mobile devices in both online and offline modes.
Read more about these features--including updates in the latest software release--on the DHIS2 Tracker Features page.
Where is DHIS2 Tracker used?
DHIS2 Tracker is already in use for health and other programs in multiple countries, including national-scale deployments with thousands of users and millions of data records. The following interactive map and chart show countries using Tracker, including additional details for select countries about implementation scope and impact.
Example Use Cases: Improving Service Delivery and Innovating New Disease Surveillance Tools
The DHIS2 Android Capture App has been deployed in a range of settings to support a variety of projects and programs. In some implementations, the app supports existing data flows by enhancing the speed, completeness, and granularity of data capture. In others, the availability of a DHIS2 mobile data entry solution has led to innovative reimagining of what a health program could accomplish. Read the selected use cases below for a few examples of how the DHIS2 Android Capture App has helped make an impact.
Paperless COVID-19 Screening and Lab Testing in Rwanda
Rwanda used years of experience with DHIS2 to quickly and effectively implement the DHIS2 Android Capture App to make their process for COVID-19 sample collection, lab testing, and sharing of results entirely paperless from start to finish, and to launch mobile drive-through testing sites with data capture on tablets.
Read more >>
Supporting Better Reproductive Health in Nigeria
DHIS2 was implemented by PSI in Nigeria to improve data collection, quality and use and support delivery for reproductive health services, including deployment of the DHIS2 Android Capture App at more than 200 health facilities.
Read more >>
Mobile Port of Entry Screening for COVID-19 in Uganda
DHIS2 Tracker has been deployed at 60 Ports of Entry in Uganda to aid in screening and tracking of truck drivers bringing imports into the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, including using the DHIS2 Android Capture App to prepare QR-code-enabled traveler passes for tracking and follow-up.
Read more >>
Try It Yourself
Test out DHIS2 Tracker for yourself with our demo database: