Background

Health programs like immunization program needs complex decision-making, strong local level evidences and contexts are extremely important to effectively use the limited resources. Often, valuable data resources remain unused, when they could yield better decisions that improve the effectiveness of programs and organizations, and in turn benefit the lives and health. Immunization remains one of the most important public health interventions and cost effective strategies to reduce child mortality and morbidity associated with infectious diseases. It is estimated to avert between 2 and 3 million deaths each year worldwide. However, the low use of data at each level of the system is one of the challenge that hinder evidence-based decisions.

Objectives

1. Explore how immunization data is reported and used to improve immunization services.
2. Assess the role of supervisory visits to increase data use, improve data quality and ensure accountability in immunization programs.
3. Explore interaction and feedback mechanisms within the health information system actors at district, ward, facility and community level
4. Explore existing community level engagement approaches that can be leveraged to increase data use, improve data quality and ensure accountability in immunization programs.

Methodology

Study Area

The study is being conducted in Amhara Region.

Study Design

We will apply a mixed method approach using key informant interviews and document reviews. key informant interviews will be conducted among decision makers, data producers and data users including community leaders. The document review will be conducted on systematically selected reports and feedback documents from health post, health center, Woreda, Zone and Regional health bureau.

Study Progress

The development of the study protocol and the questionnaire was done last year. This year, we conducted interviews among decision makers, data users, data producers and data consumers. We also facilitate community mobilization activities to increase community representative participation in health data use and share accountability. Document review is also in progress in two woreda to explore the supervision and feedback mechanisms.

Next Step

We will finalize the data collection in the month
expected at the end of December. We will be also develop a guidance document on immunization data use at each level of the Health system.