The Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) aimed to foster the use of routine reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health data at the point of care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The program recognized that health workers in these countries often underutilize health management information system (HMIS) data, which are essential for decision-making and improving access to and quality of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health services.
To address this challenge, MCSP supported its country partners in designing and implementing health data dashboards across 20 countries. The program’s experience with data dashboards was based on a literature review of approaches to foster better use of health service delivery data in LMICs. The review revealed that data dashboards are a well-established tool for analyzing and displaying data in developed countries, but limited information was available on their application in LMICs.
MCSP’s approach to implementing data dashboards was guided by several key principles. First, dashboards must be implemented in a way that complements existing data collection systems. Second, data review needs to be an embedded, ongoing process where providers analyze and discuss the data trends. Third, dashboards must reflect the technological context if they are to be a sustainable tool.
The program’s experience with data dashboards was positive, with several countries achieving significant improvements in health outcomes. For example, in Zimbabwe, a public maternity hospital designed dashboards to report labor and delivery outcomes, which led to improvements in newborn health outcomes. Similarly, in South Africa, a national-level initiative that introduced routine immunization dashboards countrywide improved data completeness in the District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2).
MCSP also explored the use of laminated poster data dashboards in LMICs, which can be a low-cost alternative to electronic dashboards. The program’s experience with poster dashboards was positive, with several countries achieving significant improvements in health outcomes. For example, in Nigeria, a national-level initiative that introduced routine immunization dashboards countrywide improved data completeness in DHIS2.
The program’s experience with data dashboards highlights the importance of creating dashboards that are aligned with and integrated into existing information systems and responsive to user needs. The success of data dashboards depends on several factors, including the methods used to establish them, the technological context, and the level of support provided to providers. Overall, MCSP’s experience with data dashboards demonstrates the potential of this approach to improve access to and quality of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health services in LMICs.
The program’s experience with data dashboards was not limited to a few countries. MCSP supported its country partners in designing and implementing health data dashboards across 20 countries, including Ethiopia, Liberia, Nigeria, and Rwanda. The program’s experience with data dashboards was positive, with several countries achieving significant improvements in health outcomes.