Data Review Meetings in Five President’s Malaria Initiative-Funded Countries

Author(s): Hai, T., & Yé, Y.

Year: 2019

Abstract:

As malaria continues to pose a public health burden, malaria-endemic countries increasingly rely on routine health information systems, including surveillance systems, and other tools to optimize malaria prevention and treatment, particularly at the subnational level. These systems identify areas or population groups most affected by malaria and target resources to communities most in need (World Health Organization, 2017). Routine health information systems often face data quality issues that limit their use by service providers and decision makers to improve health services (Chilundo, et al., 2004). To address these issues, national malaria control programs (NMCPs) from several malaria-endemic countries began conducting data review meetings at subnational levels (e.g., counties; health facilities) to review and improve the data quality of these systems.

NMCPs conduct data review meetings with subnational levels to give feedback on the quality of malaria data from routine health information systems and use the data to improve service delivery. These data review meetings are held regularly—often quarterly or monthly. Subnational levels that participate in these meetings range from the lowest level, or the health facility, to intermediate levels, such as districts, provinces, or states, depending on the country’s health infrastructure. Other stakeholders, including partners, may participate in and provide input for these meetings. Information on how countries conduct data review meetings is limited and not publicly available. MEASURE Evaluation—a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development and the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI)—conducted an assessment to understand better the processes and tools used in data review meetings in five malaria-endemic countries.

Access a related guide for conducting malaria data review meetings.