The Kenyan Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation’s Division of Vaccines and Immunization (DVI) is now able to monitor vaccine stocks at various district stores throughout the country using mobile technology. The system, known as HealthTrack!, which has been developed locally by Pinnacle Relational Database Systems (www.pinnaclekenya.com) enables district personnel to send data through their mobile phones by sending an SMS text message. The data are automatically updated on a server at the DVI, saving a lot of time and ensuring correctness of data collected. The system not only collects all the data but also analyzes it and is able to estimate the latest vaccine stocks at the different stores at any given time, based on previous consumption or distribution data as well as the latest stock information available to the system.
District level vaccine store managers send in their reports by sending a simple sms text message to the system that includes the district code, the month that the report is for, the antigen being reported on, the beginning balance, quantities received and issued and ending balance. If the report is done correctly the system responds with a confirmation message, letting the user know that the data have been correctly uploaded. The system also records the name and phone number of the sender and the date and time when the data were received.
By sending an SMS text message to the system, DVI Vaccine Managers are also able to know which district stores have reported, which ones haven’t, what the reporting rate is, what districts are out of stock in different vaccines and even the estimated total vaccine stocks available throughout the distribution system.
The system also allows the DVI to get in touch with all the vaccine management staff by sending them SMS text messages with new and emerging information about products, safety, storage tips and even information on training and meeting schedules.
According to the DVI “This system has made us more efficient and we have a better idea of what stocks are available where and we are able to ensure that they are efficiently and effectively used, reducing wastage and making our work much much easier”. One of the major strengths of the system is that it works with any type or model of phone and does not require smartphones or the latest mobile phone models, making it possible to set up and run immediately. The training required to use the system is also minimal – the hardest challenge so far has actually only been showing users how to enter the # key….
The System, which has been pilot-tested in Central and Nairobi provinces, is now set for deployment throughout the country.
