Mangochi-ICEIDA-Partnership-in-Public-Health-2012-2016-Part-II ...

Annex 12: Institutionalization of Village Health Registers in Mangochi District
A document submitted by the Public Health Office, Mangochi District
INTRODUCTION
A Village Health Register is a community data collection tool that was introduced in Malawi
in 1998 after it was piloted in the three districts of Kasungu, Mwanza, and Mzimba . The
introduction of Village health register was introduced to have reliable village health data that
would assist in serving the following purposes:
To monitor equity of EHP service provision at household and community level
• To help in the design of a monthly plan of activities at community level like Home
visit, Village clinic, Public facility inspection, Outreach clinic, Village feedback
meetings.
In Mangochi, the registers were introduced in 2007 when all Health Surveillance
Assistants (HSAs) were briefed on the use on the use of the tool. This was followed by the
collection of baseline data.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The evaluation of the initial baseline data show a lot of inadequacies More than 50%
of the H.S.As did not fill the registers properly
Supervisors for H.S.As were not trained in the tool and did not know therefore how to
fill the register. There was therefore no supervision
There were inadequate HVR hand books. Three or more H.S.As were therefore
sharing one hand book that was delaying the updating process.
The data collected was not being analysed and shared with partners
The data collected in the VHR was not being used because many stakeholders did not
know about the tool.
Currently, only 4 health centres (10%) of Mkumba cluster are still having their registers
updated. This can be attributed to the intervention that was made by Emmanuel
International Organization that was strengthening structures and data management at
community level in Mkumba Cluster.
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