Strengthening health information systems: a new regional strategy
16 October 2024, Cairo, Egypt – Efficient health information systems (HISs) improve health outcomes and the management of health services by facilitating better-informed policies and planning. In many countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, however, health data are often incomplete, fragmented or of inadequate quality, hindering the ability of decision-makers to formulate timely, efficient and concise health plans.
WHO is working to strengthen national HISs, from enhancing the collection of data and information to developing costed action plans to guide investments.
The comprehensive assessment of national HISs conducted in 2016 in half of the Region’s countries and territories revealed many gaps in national HISs, and last year WHO reported slow progress in health-related sustainable development goals (SDGs) indicators at the regional level, with lack of data making it impossible to measure progress in 1 of the 3 SDG indicators.
Digitalization of health data is now an integral component of efficient national HISs and global and regional digital health strategies have been developed. Effective digitalization is heavily dependent on national-level plans and governance mechanisms, investment in infrastructure and promotion of WHO recommended interoperability and data standards at all levels of use. A strong and effective HIS needs to be powered through the development of a digitalized and integrated data system that encompasses the data life cycle, from collection through to analysis, dissemination and use to improve decision-making.
Yet in low-income countries of the
