Health Bulletin 2009

success. The relatively few intelligent and capable staffs are needed to engage in
implementation of tightly scheduled HNPSP and bilateral donor (WHO and UNICEF)
supported projects. The director needs to remain engaged lot of his time in attending
meetings and workshops.
The recommended actions for solution are:
a. Freeing up MIS (health) office from manual system of data management as quickly
as possible through ensuring all data feeding from sources where data are generated;
b. Engaging MIS (health) staff on monitoring data quality (viz. coverage, completeness,
accuracy, timeliness, etc.), analysis and report writing;
c. Improving local capacity for data feeding: (i) establishing accountability of local health
managers to send complete set of accurate and timely data online; (ii)making available
computers and Internet connections in all remote points as quickly as possible; (iv)
enhancing computer skills of as many persons as possible in remote points through
local arrangements;
d. Improving capacity of MIS (health): (i) providing short duration and continued training
to existing staffs; (ii) deploying capable young and dynamic persons to empty positions
without looking to seniority; (iii) deploying few additional personnel on deputation to
support data analysis and report writing; (iv) hiring immediately full time skilled persons
to support quick and immediate hardware and software development and trouble
shooting.
Weaknesses of MIS identified by World Bank Mission
The Annual Project Implementation Review (APIR 2008) of HNPSP done by World Bank Mission
identified following problems of MIS (health):
a. Too many reporting formats;
b. Lack of timely collection of program data;
c. Lack of training plan on ICT to modernize MIS;
d. Lack of use of information in decision making process.
The observations truly reflect the current situation. Both in the fields as well as in the facilities there are
multiple forms often on same subject. When a new form was introduced, it was not considered that an
earlier form existed. So, both forms continued causing burden over the field workers, hospital staffs and
managers. Line Directors lack coordination in setting schedule for data collection. LDs with field program
have own separate data collection form(s). While the field workers could get all data in a single go to the
particular family, due to different calendars sometimes imposed on ad hoc basis, they need to visit
multiple times the same household in the same month. So, they become de-motivated and often produce
data without visiting homes. Effort has been made to reduce number of data collection and reporting
forms. As the data communication system is not automated and there always remains a human factor,
the data sources need remainders, and monitoring and supervision to get data in time.
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