Antipolo City, Rizal – The Community Health Information Tracking System (CHITS), an electronic medical record system for rural health units, was presented during the technical working group workshop of the Joint Programme on Maternal and Neonatal Health (JPMNH) last April 19, 2011 at the Meralco Management & Leadership Development Center (MMLDC) in Antipolo.
Pasay City Health District officer Dr. Marie Irene R. Sy highlighted the features and benefits of CHITS particularly targeting the maternal and neonatal health as manifested in the 7 years experience of Pasay City. CHITS has maternal and child health modules as well as an SMS (Short Message Service) appointment system for tracking mothers and babies for their health service schedule.
Former UPM-NThC director and original CHITS proponent Dr. Alvin B. Marcelo was also present to answer the queries regarding CHITS during the open forum. “Basically we started CHITS based on FHSIS-generated reports. But we now see the possibilities of expanding its features to in tracking mothers and babies using indicators of the JPMNH,” explains Dr. Marcelo.
“We see the potential of using CHITS for system-generated patient information as well as inventory management system for the JPMNH,” expresses Dr. Florence V. Tienzo, Health Specialist of The World Bank.
The JPMNH is a concerted effort of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO) to improve provision of contiuum of quality of care and services from pre-pregnancy, antenatal, intra-partum, post-natal, and neonatal care. Funded by the Australian Aid for International Development (AusAID).
The joint programme intends to increase equitable access to and utilization of reproductive health, and maternal and newborn information, goods and services in priority areas, and enhance effectiveness of national and sub-national support to local planning, implementation, and monitoring of the DOH’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Nutrition strategy.
The project sites include the provinces of Eastern Samar, Ifugao, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sarangani, and the cities of Tacloban, General Santos, Taguig, Navotas, Paranaque and Makati.
The two-day JPMNH TWG workshop was attended by participants from the WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank, DOH, and CHD-MM.