Human resource information system and decision making in the ministry of health

Abstract

Kenya and many African countries are faced with acute shortage of Health workers due to increased demand for medical professionals in response to global health issues. Lack of adequately trained health workers and inadequate distribution of Human Resources for Health has been a major challenge. In order to efficiently manage the Human Resources for Health and ensure there is an ongoing supply of Health workers in the country, a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) database is vital as it enables the health management to manage the health workforce and provide necessary information for health policy and planning. The research is therefore focused on Human Resource Information System and decision making in the Ministry of Health. The study set to establish the extent to which Human Resource Information System is being used in the Ministry of Health and identified the major challenges faced in using the system. The study also aimed to evaluate the quality of data being used in the HRIS and establish the influence of the system in decision making in health sector policy and planning. The research adopted a descriptive survey design and data was collected through use of questionnaire from the key Human Resource department sections at the Ministry of Health. The study revealed that majority of Ministry of Health staff use the system for recruitment purposes and with regards to data quality, majority of the users believed the data in the system is not complete; therefore there is a need by the ministry and other partners to enrich the system with complete information. The research however revealed that the data in the system is relevant and that quality of data affects the use of the system in decision making. The study noted that lack of proper IT equipment and skilled personnel to implement and support the system was a major challenge and therefore a need for clear interventions to address these challenges and subsequently expand the system usage and access