Gambia
Grant amount: $70,000
Details: Assessment and strategic planning workshops, data management training.
Executive Summary
The assessment of the Gambia Health Management Information system was done using HMN assessment tool and frame work and it’s overall objectives is to map out it’s weaknesses and strengths in other to pave a way forward for developing a system that is sensitive and captures all that is required to integrating all data methods and sources.
The assessment which looked at the following six components shall be repeated periodically.
CONTENT AND RESOURCES
There is an HMIS policy in place but it has failed to capture current HIS issues such as maintenance and there is no adequate system for it’s enforcement, therefore scoring the lowest score of 30%. The lack of an HIS strategic plan has also contributed to this very low score.
HIS Institution, Human resources and financing.HIS institution, human resources and financing had an overall low score of 39% which is found to be not adequate at all. The results of such a low score could be attributed to the fact that there is no adequate office space, trained HIS staff and lack of adequate financial and material support for the development of HIS.
HIS Infrastructure.HIS Infrastructure was found to be adequate scoring 67% and this may be due to huge investment by the then PHPNP project.
The overall results for context and resources (45%) indicate that this component requires more and immediate attention. There is an urgent need to provide/allocate enough financial resources to facilitate the development and strengthening HIS.
INDICATORS
The summary results of indicators are found to be adequate scoring 66% but it does not capture/cover all the health related MDGs indicators.
Selected indicators.Health status, Mortality was found to be adequate. Risk factors & Health Systems were found to be present but not adequate. This is due to the fact that more attention is concentrated on capturing them by HIS and very little is done on the others.
Data Quality. Overall indicators quality was found to be adequate. Among the seven elements of data quality, Timeliness and Disaggregation were found to be adequate whilst the remaining were found to be present but not adequate.
DATA SOURCES
The summary results on data sources shows that Vital Statistics and Administrative records were found to be not adequate at all.
Data collection methods.The overall performance of all the data collection method is found to be present but not adequate.
DATA MANAGEMENT
Data management scored 37% indicating that it is not adequate at all. The low score is due to lack of skills in terms of capacity and another factor is lack of adequate computer hardware and software.
INFORMATION PRODUCTS
The overall assessment results shows that quality of information product is adequate (60 80 %). Information collected on mortality was found to be highly adequate (80 100%).
DISSEMINATION AND USE
The overall assessment results of Dissemination and use was found to be present but not adequate (20 40%). Resource allocation had the least score of not adequate at all (0 20%).