Enhancing health data management in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania

Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania face several challenges relating to the collection and utilization of health data, stemming from lack of trained medical personnel to collect in and out-patient data, inadequate data management, and limited capacity to analyse and utilize data. This often leads to inaccurate information, impacting healthcare decision-making and programme effectiveness. Uganda has implemented a methodology developed by the Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB) to assess performance following a cost analysis of services offered and comparing different levels of care. This methodology considers a composite index to analyse performance using the Standard Unit of Output, an index that is calculated from the routine data collected through the national Health Management Information System. This approach was thereafter adopted by the Ugandan Ministry of Health on a national scale and has been used for more than 20 years.

Considering that Uganda has a consolidated experience in using the Standard Unit of Output methodology for monitoring performance in comparison to Kenya and Tanzania, AVSI Foundation undertook a set of activities to share this best practice with the other East African countries. One of the goals of the regional health program on the “Establishment of a Health Network in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda” implemented by AVSI Foundation with funding from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Nairobi is to enhance the proper utilisation of data for health facilities’ performance assessment. AVSI Foundation spearheaded the hosting of two online workshops in 2024 and upon a request from Kenya and Tanzanian participants, a third workshop on data use for performance evaluation was held in Entebbe, Uganda from January 28 to 30, 2025, with participation of representatives from Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Twenty-seven health specialists from six health facilities, with their Ministries of Health representatives convened in Uganda to share their experiences on the topic. The practice of Ugandan health facilities was presented, creating a learning opportunity on how to calculate the Standard Unit of Output index for the other three countries, and its use in trend analysis and monitoring of performance. During the meeting, participants discussed how different facilities measure performance, shared best practices and committed to the regular use of the Standard Unit of Output methodology. Representatives from health facilities and particularly from the Ministry of Health planned to expand this approach to more health facilities in their countries, besides those targeted by the programme.

Dr. Paul Mbaka the Assistant Commissioner for Health Services in charge of Health Information Management in Uganda’s Ministry of Health noted that data collection and management has assisted them to timely detect epidemic outbreaks and other forthcoming diseases. The Ugandan Ministry routinely monitors the effectiveness of health facilities especially to better align resources to achieve set goals, and produce accountability at the different levels of healthcare. The Ministry of Health has a centralized Division of Health Information System, which ensures calculation of Standard Unit of Output for all Ugandan health facilities.

Dr. Rhoda Masaku, a paediatrician at North Kinangop Catholic Hospital in Kenya observed during the workshop that at her duty station, the staff struggle to identify the specific data to collect, including its utilisation. Dr. Masaku pledged to replicate her learnings by sharing the knowledge she has gained, observing performance trends and making decisions based on the data collected, for the benefit of the people of Kenya.

The Establishment of a Health Network in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda Programme targets 33 health facilities across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, that will benefit from the donation of modern medical equipment, training activities for the staff and infrastructural interventions where relevant. The intervention works with an estimated 6.2 million indirect beneficiaries (Kenya: 2.5 million people; Tanzania 1.7 million people and Uganda 2 million people).