His Excellency, Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk, Health Minister, Ministry of Health, Royal Government of Bhutan,
Dasho Pemba Wangchuk, Health Secretary, Ministry of Health, Royal Government of Bhutan,
Distinguished participants,
Global health development partners, and
WHO colleagues
Good morning, and welcome to this regional workshop on strengthening routine facility data analysis and use.
A country’s health information system (HIS) is one of the six critical building blocks of its health system. It generates crucial data and evidence for decision-making processes that directly influence population health outcomes and wellbeing.
A routine health information system (RHIS) is an integral part of the overall national HIS. It is a facility-based information system purposed to collect health service data directly from all service delivery levels. This can be case-based or aggregated data, and ideally should cover both public and private health facilities and institutions.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of a strong RHIS was further highlighted. Countries relied on this to rapidly adapt their reporting mechanisms, to identify, collect, manage, and use accurate and timely COVID-19 data to shape their response strategies.
Countries were also monitoring health service data to ensure no essential health services were disrupted by the negative consequences of the pandemic.
A strong RHIS serves several needs for countries. It allows them to monitor health outcomes and trends of progress. It allows them to assess the performance of their programmes and services - and how to strengthen them.
The first round of WHO SCORE global assessment clearly showed that countries in our South-East Asia Region have variable maturity levels of RHIS.
Availability of quality routine health-related data varied widely across countries, by types of health data and levels of reporting.
Also, none of our Region’s countries has reached a sustainable level of capacity to fully optimize their health services data.
Despite significant investments made in strengthening RHIS, countries are lagging in critical aspects,
These include:
- the collection, analysis and use of standardized indicators and data elements
- data quality
- data analysis, presentation and interpretation, and
- communicating data in formats that meet the needs of different users.
Also, programme-specific data management systems are often not integrated into a comprehensive facility-based information system. Nor are they coordinated with other programmes.
To improve primary health care, to achieve universal health coverage, and to contribute to the health-related Sustainable Development Goals - an integrated approach is essential.
Good governance is also crucial, in data collection and management, data quality and analysis, and data dissemination and use.
This workshop brings together the WHO technical expertise in 5 critical areas:
- HMIS
- Immunization
- MNCAH
- NCDs, and
- Dengue surveillance
It has been designed to support countries in our Region to standardize, harmonize, analyse and use RHIS data - at the national, subnational and facility levels.
There is a lot of ground you will cover over the next four days.
First, you will review the progress countries have made in strengthening their RHIS system and discuss how to bring further improvements.
Second, you will discuss the key principles of routine facility system (representation, data quality, estimation of denomination) to strengthening systems, and building capacities for reporting of improving data analysis and use.
Third, you will be guided to develop an interoperable and integrated RHIS, with a focus on data outcomes in terms of production of timely and reliable facility data.
Fourth, you will be supported to facilitate the development of country-specific plans for strengthening routine and individual programme areas facility data. through alignment to service standards and reduction of reporting burden. This should leverage and integrate with existing national health plans and roadmaps.
I would like to ask you to reflect on the state of your national RHIS system. What are the actions, resources, and investments necessary to improve its functionality and capabilities?
Your analysis and knowledge can guide your policymakers to make evidence-informed decisions in creating a national RHIS system that is strong, sustainable, and future ready.
Finally, I urge our Member States to invest in strengthening RHIS data systems. I urge them to collaborate with other sectors, and to apply innovative technologies to use data to make informed decisions and deliver impact.
I extend my appreciation to our partners who have been so responsive in supporting this workshop’s agenda and its intended outcomes.
I wish you all success and look forward to being apprised of the workshop outcomes.
I echo these sentiments and wish you a comfortable stay in beautiful Bhutan.
Thank you.