Framework for electronic health records and electronic medical records standards implementation in the health sector of Zimbabwe

Following the pronouncement of Zimbabwe‘s e-Health Strategy (2012-2017), coupled with the general emergence and benefits of health information technologies, the health sector of Zimbabwe has witnessed the mushrooming of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) systems. These systems are part of a health information system in a country and their role is to enable the capture, distribution and analysis of health information. However, such systems seem to be implemented in a haphazard manner and tend to be characterised by the dearth of standards. Although the then Ministry of Health and Child Welfare (MHCW), now the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MHCC), in its e-health strategy for Zimbabwe seems to acknowledge and appreciate the cardinal role played by EHRs standards, there seems to be no commensurate action plan with respect to the implementation of standards for EHRs and EMRs. Against this backdrop, the study sought to explore the EHRs and EMRs standards atmosphere in the health sector in Zimbabwe and propose a framework that may guide the implementation of standards for EHRs in the health sector of Zimbabwe. The methodology of the study was qualitative and a case study design was used. Using interviews and questionnaires, the study gathered data from five participants consisting of the Deputy Director in the Department of ICT, Deputy Director of the Department of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and the Deputy Director of Health Information in the Ministry of Health and Child Care and a Manager and the Director General at the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ). The study revealed that the state of standards implementation for EHRs was unfavourable, with the MHCC not knowing which and how many EHRs systems were in existence in the health sector. There was not yet meaningful interoperability between the disparate EHRs systems in use in the health sector. It emerged that SAZ and the MCHH had standing MoUs for standards, but none for EHRs and there was generally a low priority given to standards for such systems. The study further established that there were no policies and sound legislation specific to the implementation of standards for EHRs and EMRs in the country. The study proposed a framework that may inform the implementation of standards for EHRs and EMRs in Zimbabwe.Information SciencePh. D (Information Science

Going against the grain: questioning the role of archivists and librarians in the documentation and preservation of indigenous knowledge

Recently, archivists and librarians have been advocating for and re-affirming their role in the documentation and preservation of indigenous knowledge (IK). Whilst literature on this position abounds, we argue in this article that archivists and librarians are running the risk of imposing themselves on a system that “naturally” preserves itself. In face of the challenges that these collecting professionals encounter in trying to document IK, coupled with the nature of IK itself, we argue that IK should be left to “preserve” itself as it has always done. We argue that IK is a complex subject matter that can be equated to an ecosystem and has natural means of preserving and multiplying itself.  We further argue that IK is naturally resilient to forces of extinction and efforts by librarians and archivists, which employ scientific methods of documentation and preservation, are actually detrimental to IK. Although such efforts may appear to be the talk of the day, they are actually incompatible with IK and archivists and librarians may be wasting efforts by preserving something that otherwise “naturally” documents and preserves itself in a variety of means, including language, traditional ceremonies, books (novels) and other “natural” means.  We therefore conclude that IK is an ethnographical issue that should otherwise be left to take care of itself in local indigenous knowledge systems (IKS)

The Self-Worth of Records and Archives Management Students at the National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-worth of Records and Archives Management students at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The study applied a qualitative methodology in which a case study research design and a questionnaire  were  used to gather data from a population of first, second and fourth year students in the Department of Records and Archives Management. The findings of the study show that the majority of students in the Records and Archives Management Degree programme were not confident of their degree programme. These students felt that they made a wrong decision by enrolling into the Records and Archives Management Degree programme. This was because the majority of the students had been admitted into the Records and Archives Management Degree programme because they had failed to meet the requirements and cut-off points of their preferred degree programmes. The paper therefore, recommends a rigorous marketing of the records and archives management programme, career guidance for students, and the resuscitation of the records and archives management professional association to develop the records and archives management profession in Zimbabwe. Keywords: Records management; Archives profession; Zimbabw

Records management and archiving in UAE: a beginner's handbook

International audienc

An Information Management Framework for the Support of E-Government in Zimbabwe

It has come as a fact that the use of Information and Communication Technologies has come to stay in this world. It aids the implementation of the emerging and irresistible e-government concept that seems to be the in-thing the world over. Zimbabwe has also joined the world by ascertaining its commitment to e-government as witnessed by its promulgation of various e-government services. However, despite the government of Zimbabwe having committed itself to e-government, it is of concern to note that up to this day, the country is operating without a clear information management policy or strategy that will guide and direct all the information management practitioners in the country. This comes as a great weakness in this day and age when the government of Zimbabwe has declared its intentions to subscribe to the e-government concept both in principle and in practice. Although the country has managed to survive without a clearly defined information policy in the pre e-government era, chances of it rolling out an effective and sustainable e-government policy on the same foundation are very slim, given the importance of well managed information as a pillar of sound e-government. The paper employed document analysis as its methodology in which Zimbabwe National Information and Communication Policy (ICT) Policy Framework of 2005 and the Ministry of Information Communication Technology’s (MICT) Strategic Plan (2010-2014) were reviewed and assessed the extent to which they sufficed to serve as information management frameworks that can support e-governance in Zimbabwe. The study revealed that there are ICT policies that are meant to serve as ICT strategies for the country but none of them has been put to test and such policies are very piecemeal at best as far as their coverage of information management is concerned. The first policy of such nature was the Zimbabwe National Information and Communication Policy (ICT) Policy Framework of 2005 that was developed by the government of Zimbabwe. This was followed by the Ministry of Information Communication Technology’s (MICT) Strategic Plan (2010-2014) which was being led by the then Minister Nelson Chamisa in the Government of National Unity (GNU). Following the dismantling of the GNU, the MICT was also dismantled and a new Ministry known as the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services that was headed by then Minister Webster Shamu came up with a new draft policy to guide ICT in Zimbabwe. Ironically, that new policy did not see the light as the then Minister was relieved of his duties and the new and incumbent Minister; Mr Supa Mandiwanzira came up with a new draft to guide the ICT operations in Zimbabwe. Despite all these developments, it remains of concern to notice that none of these policies ever prioritised information management as a strategic pillar of e-government. It is the argument of these authors that without the country’s e-government strategy being governed by a sound information management policy that will ensure the creation, management, and preservation of information, the concept will suffer the consequences in retrospect, to the detriment of the concept and the citizens. The study further revealed that the present policies are only addressing technical issues such as network and infrastructural issues of information management, yet other important aspects such as preservation, disposal and legal issues of information management are neglected. The study recommends a new framework that is comprehensive in terms of all the facets of information management. The framework covers all the relevant information management players such as archivists, librarians, records managers and the ICT personnel who should work together so as to collectively manage national information that support e-governance which Zimbabwe has just embarked on. The study further recommends that every government department has an information manager and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services should be the one in charge of the information management framework and oversee its implementation.