Annual Progress Report FY 2021: USAID Zambia Evidence for Health Project

The project aims to improve the quality and timeliness of health information to support decision-making. The project focuses on three objectives: strengthening the national HMIS, improving monitoring and evaluation capacities, and expanding the evidence base for health programming. The project has made significant progress in the first year, with key achievements including the launch of the 2022-2026 MoH Health Information System Strategy (HISS). A stakeholder workshop was organized to identify gaps, opportunities, and innovations, and define the goals, vision, and mission for the strategy. In-depth interviews with MoH stakeholders are underway to obtain additional information needed for the development of the HISS. The project has also supported the development of the Master Facility List (MFL), which fosters standardization in defining reporting units and documents details of all established public and private health facilities. The MFL second user acceptance testing is underway, and the launching of the platform is scheduled for fiscal year 22, Quarter 1. Additionally, the project has completed the HMIS pre-service curriculum training manual and submitted it to MoH and the People's sub-committee Technical Working Group (TWG) for adoption. The project has also operationalized the MoH help desk system, which provides an effective communication channel to resolve IT issues in the MoH. Furthermore, the project has supported the development of customized dashboards in the MoH DHIS2 platform for program technical teams, with the aim of systematizing data access, visualization, and use for improved decision-making. The roll out of the dashboards is scheduled for FY22, Quarter 1, pending MoH sign-off. The project has also trained all relevant implementing partners (IPs) and facilitated the operationalization of USAID's online Data Analytics Platform. All IPs are now directly uploading monthly data into the live Data Analytics Platform, which has strengthened IP data management and enabled USAID staff to gain quick and easy access to IPs' performance data. The project has also conducted trend analysis on target family health (FH) indicators on a quarterly basis and facilitated deep dive sessions at provincial level during provincial/district integrated meetings. The project has also harmonized malaria indicators through a series of facilitated stakeholder coordination meetings with the MoH's Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Directorate and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) unit, national and sub-national health program managers, the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), and the National Malaria Elimination Centre (NMEC). The project's progress has been made possible through effective management and communications processes that integrate technical and administrative teams. The project has also employed effective management and communications processes to address the challenges posed by COVID-19 restrictions on international travel and social gatherings. The project's achievements have contributed to the improvement of health systems in Zambia, with a focus on improving the quality and timeliness of health information to support decision-making. The project's progress has been made possible through the collaboration of the MoH, MSI, and other stakeholders, and has contributed to the achievement of the project's objectives.