Deadline: 25-May-2026
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care, is developing a National Health Facility Registry to strengthen Zimbabwe’s digital health ecosystem. The registry will serve as a single verified source of health facility data to improve interoperability, healthcare coordination, regulatory oversight, and emergency response across the country’s fragmented digital health systems.
National Health Facility Registry (Zimbabwe) Overview
The National Health Facility Registry is a foundational digital health infrastructure initiative designed to unify and standardise information about all healthcare service delivery points in Zimbabwe. It will support the broader Digital Health Exchange by enabling seamless data sharing across multiple health information systems.
The initiative aims to improve efficiency, reduce duplication, and strengthen decision-making in the national health system.
Key Objectives of the Health Facility Registry
The registry is designed to achieve the following outcomes:
- Create a single, authoritative database of all health facilities in Zimbabwe
- Enable interoperability between fragmented digital health systems
- Improve healthcare coordination and referral systems
- Strengthen regulatory oversight and compliance monitoring
- Support strategic planning and health system investment decisions
- Improve performance measurement and quality of care
- Enhance emergency preparedness and crisis response coordination
- Standardise facility identification across all health platforms
Scope of the Registry
The system will include verified data on all healthcare service providers, such as:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Laboratories
- Pharmacies
- Diagnostic centres
- Other healthcare service delivery points
Each facility will be assigned a standardized identifier to ensure consistency across systems.
Current Digital Health Challenges in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s digital health ecosystem includes multiple systems such as:
- Impilo Electronic Health Record system
- Electronic Logistics Management Information System (LMIS)
- Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
- DHIS2
- Other partner-supported platforms
However, these systems currently operate in isolation, leading to:
- Fragmented health data
- Duplicate facility records
- Inconsistent naming conventions
- Inefficient data sharing
- Limited system interoperability
The Health Facility Registry is designed to resolve these systemic inefficiencies.
How the Registry Improves Healthcare Systems
1. Data Accuracy and Interoperability
- Ensures all systems use verified facility identifiers
- Links patient records, lab results, and referrals to correct facilities
- Eliminates duplication and inconsistencies in health data
2. Healthcare Coordination
- Strengthens referral systems between facilities
- Improves patient tracking and continuity of care
- Enhances communication across health service providers
3. Regulatory Oversight
- Tracks facility licensing and accreditation status
- Monitors compliance with health standards
- Supports renewal and inspection processes
4. Strategic Planning and Investment
- Provides data on facility distribution and coverage
- Identifies infrastructure and service gaps
- Supports workforce and resource allocation decisions
- Guides investment in underserved regions
5. Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Provides real-time visibility of facility capacity
- Tracks bed availability and service readiness
- Supports outbreak response and disaster management
- Enables rapid coordination of patient transfers
Integration with Digital Health Exchange
The registry will form a core component of Zimbabwe’s Digital Health Exchange, enabling:
- Interoperable communication between health systems
- Unified digital health infrastructure
- Future digital services such as:
- Appointment booking systems
- Patient-facing health applications
- Cross-border health information exchange
This integration will support long-term digital transformation in the health sector.
Why This Initiative Matters
The Health Facility Registry is important because it:
- Strengthens national health system coordination
- Improves accuracy and reliability of health data
- Reduces inefficiencies caused by fragmented systems
- Enhances patient care and referral pathways
- Supports evidence-based health planning and policy
- Improves emergency response capability
- Builds foundational digital public health infrastructure
- Enables scalable digital health innovation in Zimbabwe
Common System Challenges Addressed
The initiative directly addresses:
- Lack of standardized facility identifiers
- Fragmented health information systems
- Poor interoperability between platforms
- Duplicate and inconsistent facility records
- Limited visibility of health system capacity
- Inefficient referral and reporting systems
Expected Outcomes
Once implemented, the registry is expected to:
- Provide a unified national health facility database
- Improve coordination between health systems
- Enhance accuracy of national health reporting
- Strengthen crisis response and resource allocation
- Enable integrated digital health services
- Support long-term health system modernization
Tips for Understanding the System (Policy/Technical View)
- The registry is foundational infrastructure, not a standalone application
- It enables interoperability across all digital health platforms
- Standardised identifiers are central to system functionality
- It supports both clinical operations and administrative planning
- It is a long-term enabler of digital transformation in healthcare
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the National Health Facility Registry?
It is a centralized digital database of all healthcare facilities in Zimbabwe designed to improve data accuracy and system integration.
Who is implementing the project?
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care.
What problem does it solve?
It addresses fragmented health systems, duplicate records, and lack of interoperability.
What facilities are included?
Hospitals, clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, and diagnostic centres.
How does it improve healthcare delivery?
It strengthens referrals, improves data accuracy, and enhances coordination across health services.
Is it linked to other systems?
Yes, it integrates with DHIS2, EHR systems, LMIS, and other digital platforms.
Does it support emergency response?
Yes, it enables real-time visibility of facility capacity during health emergencies.
Conclusion
The UNDP-supported National Health Facility Registry in Zimbabwe is a critical digital health infrastructure initiative designed to unify fragmented health data systems. By creating a single source of verified facility information, it strengthens interoperability, improves healthcare coordination, enhances emergency response, and supports long-term digital transformation of the national health system.
For more information, visit UNDP.