OPTIMIZE Guatemala Report

Tuesday, 5th of July 2016

OPTIMIZE Guatemala Report

https://www.path.org/publications/files/TS_opt_guatemala_rpt.pdf

This report presents the results and lessons learned in a collaborative effort between the Guatemala Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS), the Pan American Health Organization, and project Optimize. The primary MSPAS departments involved were the National Immunization Program and the Health Information Management System (SIGSA). The demonstration project attempted to respond to the challenge of introducing new vaccines in Guatemala by implementing an information system for managing individual vaccination records and logistics. For this purpose, two integrated modules were created in the health information system “SIGSA Web.” This information system was initially implemented as a demonstration project in the Ixil Health Area before being scaled up to the rest of the country. However, the success of this implementation was not complete. Although the individual records system and other modules worked well, several operational obstacles occurred that prevented them from optimal implementation. At the end of 2012, the new government was assessing alternatives to SIGSA Web, which places its future as a unified health system in Guatemala in doubt. Nonetheless, the logistical system was accepted as a model and platform for management of all other medications and health products. Accomplishments were made in regard to each of the proposed objectives, while future work remains. The demonstration project also generated lessons learned that may help guide future initiatives.

This report was commissioned by Optimize: Immunization Systems and Technologies for Tomorrow, a collaboration between the World Health Organization (WHO) and PATH. The report was authored by Ana Elena Chevez from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Guatemala country office, Carolina Danovaro from the PAHO regional office, and Jan Grevendonk from WHO headquarters. Contact information: Jan Grevendonk Technical Officer, WHO grevendonkj@who.int PATH addresses: Mail PO Box 900922 Seattle, WA 98109 USA Street 2201 Westlake Avenue, Suite 200 Seattle, WA 98121 USA www.path.org WHO address: World Health Organization 20 Avenue Appia CH 1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland www.who.int Suggested citation World Health Organization (WHO), PATH. Optimize: Guatemala Report. Seattle: PATH, WHO; 2013. This work was funded in whole or part by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The views expressed herein are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation. Copyright © 2013 World Health Organization (WHO), Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH). All rights reserved. The material in this document may be freely used for educational or noncommercial purposes, provided that the material is accompanied by an acknowledgment.