The IFRC joins HISP Centre as DHIS2 partner. New agreement strengthens collaboration on emergency response, health information, and digital public infrastructure 20 Mar 2026 News The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the HISP Centre at the University of Oslo (HISP UiO) have signed a memorandum of understanding, formally recognizing the IFRC as a DHIS2 Institutional Partner. The agreement establishes a long-term collaboration to strengthen the use of DHIS2 across the IFRC network, supporting emergency response, health information management, and digital capacity development. Together, HISP UiO and the IFRC will advance open, sustainable digital infrastructure that supports humanitarian action and community resilience worldwide. "At the IFRC, we are working to strengthen how data supports decision-making before, during, and after crises," said the IFRC Health and Care Director, Dr. Petra Khoury. "This partnership with the HISP Centre allows us to build on a shared commitment to open, interoperable systems that can be adapted to country needs, strengthen health services, and support more timely and coordinated response and health services." The partnership outlines several key areas of collaboration, including joint development of DHIS2 configurations for humanitarian and emergency response use cases, deployment of DHIS2 systems for the IFRC global and regional monitoring, and expanded capacity-building initiatives. These include integrating DHIS2 Academy content into the IFRC learning systems, developing e-learning and micro-credentialing opportunities, and exploring privacy-preserving analytics and shared data infrastructures. "We are honored and delighted to enter this partnership with the IFRC, and we look forward to advancing open, sustainable digital infrastructure that supports humanitarian action at scale," said HISP UiO director, Prof. Kristin Braa. "By working together across the DHIS2 ecosystem, we can strengthen local capacity, improve emergency response, and ensure that digital systems serve communities when they are needed most." The IFRC is the world's largest humanitarian network, supporting 191 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to deliver assistance before, during, and after crises and disasters. DHIS2 is an open-source, flexible data platform used by governments in more than 80 countries to collect, manage, analyze, and visualize data across health, education, and other sectors, developed and governed by the HISP Centre at the University of Oslo in collaboration with a global network of HISP groups and contributing partners. Through joint resource mobilization and regional engagement with HISP hubs and partner groups, the collaboration aims to strengthen country-level implementation and support a coordinated, interoperable approach to digital health and humanitarian information systems. This partnership marks an important step in expanding the DHIS2 ecosystem within humanitarian contexts, reinforcing DHIS2's role as a digital public good for emergency response, health information, and sustainable capacity building. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].

DHIS2 workshop strengthens climate and health modelling capacity in lmics. More than 60 participants from 15+ countries convene to advance spatiotemporal analysis of climate-sensitive diseases. 5 Mar 2026 Climate & Health Updates A five-day DHIS2 Workshop on Spatiotemporal Modeling of Climate-Sensitive Diseases concluded last week in Kigali, Rwanda, bringing together more than 60 participants from over 15 countries across Africa, Europe, and Asia for intensive hands-on learning and collaboration. The workshop was organized by the HISP Centre at the University of Oslo in collaboration with the CSID Network, the SOSCHI Project UK, the Data Lab for Social Good Research Group, and the Wellcome Trust, with support from HISP Rwanda and the Ministry of Health of Rwanda. The training aimed to strengthen capacity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to analyze, model, and interpret climate and health data to improve forecasting and response to climate-sensitive diseases. Throughout the week, participants engaged in practical sessions using real datasets and modeling approaches to explore how climate variability influences disease patterns. Country teams developed and evaluated predictive models capturing spatial and temporal disease risks linked to climate variability, strengthening their ability to apply evidence-based approaches in national public health programs. The workshop focused on DHIS2-based tools, including the Chap modeling platform and the DHIS2 Climate App, which enable integration of climate data and modeling outputs into routine surveillance systems and climate-informed early warning mechanisms. Workshop participants arrived in Kigali already having had an in-depth introduction to these tools through the DHIS2 advanced webinar series on spatiotemporal modeling of climate-sensitive diseases, which is available to view on YouTube as a capacity-building resource. The event provided a collaborative platform for national health program teams, researchers, and DHIS2 implementing partners to exchange experiences and build technical skills in analyzing, modeling, and interpreting climate-sensitive disease data. Through continued partnership and innovation, the DHIS2 community and country stakeholders are strengthening data-driven preparedness and response to emerging climate-related public health risks. This workshop marks a capstone for a significant area of work under the two-year, Wellcome-funded Climate & Health project. Building on the tools, methods, and partnerships developed through the project, the HISP Centre and partners will continue iterative development of DHIS2 climate and health modeling tools and sustained capacity building in close collaboration with country stakeholders, ensuring that these approaches remain practical, locally grounded, and responsive to evolving public health needs.

WHO renews HISP UiO's Collaborating Centre status for another four years. The HISP Centre and WHO will continue their collaboration on standards, capacity building, and implementation guidance to strengthen integrated routine health information systems worldwide. 3 Mar 2026 News The World Health Organization (WHO) has redesignated the HISP Centre at the University of Oslo's Department of Informatics (HISP UiO) as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Innovation and Implementation Research for health information systems strengthening, extending its mandate for another four-year term, through 2029. As a WHO Collaborating Centre, HISP UiO will continue to work closely with WHO and its Member States to strengthen national health information system (HIS) implementations and support data use for decision-making at all levels of public health services. The renewed collaboration will further expand and improve WHO's digital health tools and technical guidance for routine health information systems. Building on years of joint work, the partnership will continue to support countries in adopting WHO-recommended data standards through structured, interoperable health information systems. Dozens of countries have already implemented standards-based configurations through WHO-supported digital health initiatives, enabling more consistent data collection, improved reporting, and stronger national capacity for analysis and use of health information. These efforts are supported through joint capacity-building initiatives, regional collaboration, and technical assistance delivered through the global HISP network. The new designation period will also expand collaboration in several priority areas, including: * Advancing implementation guidance that helps countries apply WHO frameworks across diverse digital architectures, including through support for the SMART guidelines. * Strengthening interoperability and data exchange between national systems and regional or global reporting platforms and facilitating implementation of health interoperability standards such as FHIR and ICD. * Supporting integrated disease surveillance and programme monitoring. Additional areas of focus include improving monitoring for noncommunicable diseases and mortality, enhancing climate and health data integration, and documenting implementation research to inform global best practices. Capacity building remains a central pillar of the partnership. HISP UiO will continue working with WHO technical programmes and global training initiatives to develop scalable learning resources, support workforce development, and strengthen country ownership of health information systems. These activities aim to ensure that digital health investments translate into sustainable national capacity and meaningful data use. You can find details of HISP UiO's designation as a WHO Collaborating Centre on the WHO website. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].