Africa health statistics receives a boost

By Cristina Müller, 10 February 2006

Africa’s health statistical system is receiving a US $50 million boost from the Gates Foundation through a new World Health Organization-hosted project entitled Health Metrics Network (HMN).

Set within the WHO system, the project entails streamlining health information systems that are cross-cutting, encompassing data in areas as disparate as vaccination programmes and basic sanitation.

For Norma Wilson, a specialist in monitoring and evaluating health systems, on loan from USAID to kickstart the programme, HMN is an important building block in aligning health information systems around the world.

“The overall purpose of the programme is to improve the availability, quality and use of information, defining health information a little differently than what we have previously considered effective,” she told the ECA during the second Forum for African Statistical Development (FASDEV II).

In effect, while traditionally health ministries have almost exclusively administered health, this shift in paradigm implies the involvement of areas that though not strictly related to health, also cause an impact on the lives of citizens.

Forty one countries, so far, are to receive a total US$6 million in seed money from the programme. This will be used to lay the foundation for comprehensive national health information systems.

“The real difference is that within these country-owned projects stakeholder committees include data gathering and statistics persons,” said Wilson. “Our priority is capacity building.”

The programme is particularly relevant for streamlining indicators and standardising data, allowing for an increase in the use of statistics in health policy making.