Capacity Building Interventions in Health Information Systems

MEASURE Evaluation, a five-year cooperative agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to improve health information system (HIS) management, governance, and performance. In July 2014, USAID asked MEASURE Evaluation to implement activities to build an evidence base that would identify effective investments in HIS. The HIS Learning Agenda, developed by MEASURE Evaluation, seeks to answer questions such as what factors and stages of progress in HIS performance are measured, and what characteristics of a strong HIS exist. The project is also implementing activities to build the evidence base on HIS strengthening, with the aim of contributing to evidence-informed global work to strengthen HIS and health outcomes. MEASURE Evaluation works with global, national, and local partners to strengthen HIS in scores of countries. The organization has a set of prescribed results to achieve, many of which depend on successful capacity building. These results include strengthening the collection and use of routine health data, improving country-level capacity to manage HIS and conduct rigorous evaluations, and addressing health information gaps and challenges. Capacity building plays a vital role in strengthening health systems, particularly when sustainability and country ownership are a priority. However, the concept of capacity building is difficult to define due to the wide range of applications and interventions that exist. Despite this challenge, MEASURE Evaluation has identified key capacity building strategies that are effective in strengthening HIS. One such strategy is effective training practices, which involve providing training that is tailored to the needs of the target audience and is delivered in a way that is engaging and interactive. Stakeholder engagement is also critical, as it involves working with a range of stakeholders, including government officials, health workers, and community members, to build their capacity and ensure that they are able to use and manage HIS effectively. MEASURE Evaluation has implemented capacity building activities in several countries, including Zambia, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Zambia, the organization worked with national and university staff to build their capacity in data analysis, with the aim of improving the quality and use of health data. In Burundi, MEASURE Evaluation worked to strengthen the health management information system and monitoring and evaluation capacity, with the aim of improving the collection and use of health data. The expected effects of these capacity building activities include improved HIS performance, health systems strengthening, service delivery, and health outcomes. By building the capacity of health workers and other stakeholders, MEASURE Evaluation aims to contribute to evidence-informed global work to strengthen HIS and health outcomes.