Kangaroo Mother Care - MCHIP

A suggested KMC register sheet and a data summary sheet for LBW babies are included in
Appendices D and E.
7.3. UTILIZATION OF DATA FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT AND
ADVOCACY
Collecting data is only meaningful and worthwhile if the data are reviewed and subsequently
used for evidence-based decision-making, whether internally for program improvement or
externally for setting policy.
Data for Program Improvement
Information collected during routine M&E can and should be used to improve program
performance. As discussed in Chapter 5, supportive supervision can improve individual
performance as well as the unit’s performance as a whole. When improvement occurs in all
facilities, impact can be measured in the overall program. Merely documenting improved
competency of health workers, while very important, may not necessarily lead to improved
newborn health outcomes, which depend on a number of factors. Documenting, monitoring and
evaluating all program components (e.g., training, staffing, supervision, equipment, medicines)
is important. As such, it is essential that program managers and other program decisionmakers
are included in the process of selecting indicators.
When indicators are selected based on both the larger program design and the intended
program results, the data generated will be meaningful to the larger program and conducive to
program improvement. In other words, does the indicator provide information that will tell
assessors if the program is reaching, or on its way to reaching, its intended results
Data for Advocacy and Setting Policy
All KMC indicators proposed by the MCHIP KMC Technical Working Group (as listed above) can
provide information essential to policy-making. The key is how to present these data to different
audiences. Data can be shared externally through a variety of fora: public meetings, news
releases, briefings, and online and direct meetings with policymakers. Briefings typically begin
with a short presentation of the overall program and final results, followed by discussion of key
findings or other issues. Panel presentations can be used to bring together stakeholders to present
key M&E findings and recommendations. Panels are usually composed of three to four people.
Each individual makes a short presentation on some aspect of the evaluation. A moderator then
facilitates discussion among panelists and between panelists and the audience (Kusek and Rist
2004). Broadcast media can be useful when evaluation findings need to be disseminated beyond
the primary stakeholders. Radio is a very effective way to disseminate information.
Whenever data are shared externally, they should be presented in a straightforward and simple
manner. Bar and line graphs that show change over time are often the most compelling way to
show program impact. Ultimately, data you collect are only as useful as you make them,
whether for internal programmatic decision-making or advocating for policy change.
Kangaroo Mother Care Implementation Guide 33