The 2nd edition of the HIS Geo-Enabling course has been developed by the Health GeoLab in the continuity of the 1st edition developed in collaboration with and with the support of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

The objectives of this course are to:

  • Introduce the concept of HIS geo-enabling and support its implementation in countries
  • Demonstrate and illustrate the potential of geospatial data and technologies applied to public health
  • Build participants’ knowledge on the elements required for geo-enabling a Health information System (HIS)
  • Strengthen the participants’ technical capacity when it comes to the management and use of geospatial data technologies in public health

This course has primarily been developed to be integrated in the regular curriculum of Schools of Public Health across Asia and the Pacific or used by individuals interested in the topics it covers.

It is aimed at forming current or future civil servants from the health sector in countries, more specifically: (1) policymakers and managers; (2) HIS staff at national and sub national level; (3) data managers and GIS technicians; (4) students in health sciences and practice.

Each module of the course consists of PowerPoint slides accompanied by associated reference materials organized in such a way that anybody interested in the topic could learn about it and anybody having the knowledge on the topics being covered could give it to students.

The syllabus, facilitator’s guide, slides, and associated materials are freely available for download from this webpage. (Please just make sure to acknowledge the source of this material in case you are using it. Thank you!)

Syllabus: Download link

 

Course:
Module 1: Medical Geography  Slides Exercise materials Reference materials
Session 1.1 Context and objective of the training, agenda, and round of introduction of the participants Download link
Session 1.2 The geographic dimension and the potential of geospatial data and technologies in public health Download link Health service coverage and its evaluation
Session 1.3 Examples of application of geospatial data and technologies in public health Download link
Module 2: Geo-enabling the Health Information System (HIS) Slides Exercise materials Reference materials
Session 2.1 Introduction to the Health Information System (HIS) geo-enabling framework Download link

Building Capacity for Geo-Enabling Health Information Systems: Supporting Equitable Health Services and Well-Being for All

HIS Geo-enabling Toolkit

Session 2.2 Implementation of the HIS Geo-enabling Framework  Download link HIS Geo-enabling Toolkit
Session 2.3 The Health GeoLab Hub: A regional resources to support HIS geo-enabling across Asia and Pacific  Download link Health GeoLab website
Module 3: Geospatial Data Management  Slides Exercise materials Reference materials
Session 3.1 Introduction to the geospatial data management cycle Download link Health GeoLab Collaborative Guidance Document Part 1: Introduction to the data-information-knowledge-decision continuum and the geospatial data management
Session 3.2 Implementing the geospatial data management cycle (Part 1): Document the process and define the data needs Download link HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.1 Documenting the process and defining the data need
Session 3.3 Implementing the geospatial data management cycle (Part 2): Define the terminology, data set specifications, and ground reference Download link HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.2 Defining the vocabulary, the data set specifications and the ground reference
Session 3.4 Implementing the geospatial data management cycle (Part 3): Document the data Download link HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.5.1 Documenting the data using a metadata profile
Session 3.5 Implementing the geospatial data management cycle (Part 4): Compile the data and identify data gaps Download link HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.3 Compiling existing data and identifying gaps
Session 3.6 Implementing the geospatial data management cycle (Part 5): Fill data gaps Download link

HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.4.1 Extracting vector format geospatial data from basemaps

HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.4.2 Collecting data in the field

Session 3.7 Implementing the geospatial data management cycle (Part 6): Host, maintain, share, use, and update data Download link HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.6.1 Creating good thematic maps using desktop GIS software
Module 4: Hands-on Geospatial Technologies  Slides Exercise materials Reference materials
Session 4.1 Introduction to geospatial technologies Download link
Session 4.2 Introduction to Global Navigation Satellite Systems  (GNSS) Download link HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.4.2 Collecting data in the field
Exercise 4.A Collecting data in the field using a GNSS-enabled device Download link Exercise 4.A guide HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.4.2 Collecting data in the field
Session 4.3 Introduction to Geographic Information System (GIS) Download link
Exercise 4.B Using the basic functionalities of a GIS software: Exercise 4.B data
         QGIS Download link QGIS guide QGIS Documentation page
         ArcMap Download link ArcMap Guide Esri ArcMap page
Session 4.4 Introduction to the concepts of registry and Common Geo-Registry (CGR)  Download link
Module 5: Creating good thematic maps  Slides Exercise materials Reference materials
Session 5.1 Components of good thematic maps and the process to create them Download link HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.6.1 Creating good thematic maps using desktop GIS software
Session 5.2 Prepare the data to create a thematic map in a GIS software Download link
Exercise 5.A Preparing the statistical data for use in GIS software Download link Exercise 5.A data and guide HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.5.2 Using advanced Microsoft Excel functions
Exercise 5.B Preparing and uploading the geospatial data in the GIS software Exercise 5.B data
         QGIS Download link
         ArcMap Download link
Exercise 5.C Creating a thematic map using GIS software:
         QGIS Download link Exercise 5.C  data – QGIS HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.6.1 Creating good thematic maps using desktop GIS software: Annexes 3, 5, and 7
         ArcMap Download link Exercise 5.C  data – ArcMap HGLC Guidance Document Part 2.6.1 Creating good thematic maps using desktop GIS software: Annexes 2, 4, and 6