Improving analysis and use of routine reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health facility data in low-and middle-income countries: a universal priority

Theresa Diaz,Jennifer Requejo

doi:10.1186/s12913-021-06649-0

Abstract

Improving analysis and use of routine reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health facility data in low-and middle-income countries: a universal priority

Highlights

In February 2020 a meeting of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) measurement experts was convened in Nairobi, Kenya, to reflect on a 2015 call to action for a robust RMNCH measurement system that included five principles: (1) a focus on a core set of global indicators on effective coverage; (2) ensuring selected indicators and data collected on RMNCH are relevant to countries; (3) investment in measurement innovations in methods and instruments to help fill data gaps; (4) undertake equity analyses on intervention coverage and health outcomes to make sure no one gets left behind; and (5) global leadership to drive the development of measurement improvements, strong country health information systems, and increased data use at all levels [1, 2]
Global guidance was rapidly developed by United Nations agencies and partners to support country use of routine health information systems (RHIS) for monitoring RMNCH service disruptions [9]
If the global community had provided greater financial resources and technical support to countries to develop their RHIS prior to the pandemic, countries could have used data generated from these systems to develop nimble approaches to addressing the COVID19 crisis that kept essential RMNCH services intact

Summary

Introduction

In February 2020 a meeting of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) measurement experts was convened in Nairobi, Kenya, to reflect on a 2015 call to action for a robust RMNCH measurement system that included five principles: (1) a focus on a core set of global indicators on effective coverage; (2) ensuring selected indicators and data collected on RMNCH are relevant to countries; (3) investment in measurement innovations in methods and instruments to help fill data gaps; (4) undertake equity analyses on intervention coverage and health outcomes to make sure no one gets left behind; and (5) global leadership to drive the development of measurement improvements, strong country health information systems, and increased data use at all levels (global, regional, country) [1, 2]. Comparable information across countries on health service disruptions and their health impacts has been difficult to collect during the pandemic because of suspensions in population-based household surveys and health facility assessments.

Results

Conclusion