MBABANE:Eswatini Government has introduced a new CMIS data system that tracks citizens personal information including health,marriage and criminal records among others.
CMIS stands for Client Management Information System,it is a specification that allows the sharing and accessibility of data across multiple content management (ECM) systems while providing a data model and web services for defining ECM capabilities such as query and this, is done at the repository level.
The Government new CMIS data system,through the registered cellphone and Identification Numbers(IDs) for all citizens,is also able to automatically change surnames for married women to their husbands’ surnames without their consent.
Close analyses of the data system seen by this investigative journalist suggests that, it further tracks citizens health records including diseases within their bodies and was recently upgraded to include criminal records.
The health status information or data is collected every-time a patient visits a hospital for medical treatment.
An independent investigation conducted by this Swaziland News further uncovered that, the data system is not only highly sophisticated but, comes with an advanced design to perform a wide range of tasks with the highest degree of accuracy, speed and efficiency.
The information is accessed through a cellphone or ID number and was also enhanced by the recent Government order, directing all citizens in the country to register their Eswatini MTN and Eswatini Mobile cellphone numbers.
When a patient visit a hospital only for the health worker to find that, the patient was not registered or captured through the CMIS, after identifying the cellphone number or the ID,the data system then reveals personal information registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
It enables or gives the user an option to activate the patient to the system, only senior workers within the Ministry of Health are allowed to access the data system.
A questionnaire was sent to retiring Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo,however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments on Saturday, Mayibongwe Masangwane,the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU) confirmed knowledge of the data system,he said it helps in the process of health information to assist patients.
“We have CMIS in all the hospitals and it helps in identifying the health records of the patients.This is what normally happens; when a patient arrives in hospital, the system tells the health worker that this patient previously visited this hospital for this particular sickness and the prescription. The health worker will then know how to treat the patient after accessing the previous medical records”, said the Secretary General of the Nurses Union.
On another note, it has been disclosed that, the CMIS data system is also linked with other State data systems designed by the Royal Science Technology Park, it forms part of the looming introduction of an electronic Identity System where all citizens in the world will use their fingers as IDs.
William Samoei Ruto, the President of Kenya recently announced a process to introduce an Electronic Identity System in his country, he said this will allow Kenyan citizens not to carry their IDs but use their fingerprints.
Royal Science Technology Park(pic:RSTP).