What is HMN? Global partnership founded on the premise that better health information means better decisions and better health Partners reflect wide range of country and global health and information constituencies Partnership focused on health information systems as core component of health systems

Market Failures in Health Information Those with the most severe health problems are often those with weakest health information systems (HIS)

Every programme, project, partner has a separate M&E plan Every programme, project, partner has a separate M&E plan Every M&E plan focuses on indicators but not on the system for generating them Fragile and Overloaded HIS

Data Collected But Not Used

The Vicious Cycle Health Weak Information System Limited capacity to generate or analyse data. Decision Making Sectional interests, donor demand, inertia etc. Donors focus on theirs own data needs Little investment in health information systems. Weak Demand Data not trusted or used for policy-making at country level.

Process of decision-making Health Information Decisions Donors Budgets Politicians Media Community Special interests Inertia Peer pressure NGOs Health workers Adapted from Lippeveld et al WHO 2000 Lack of Evidence-Based Decision- Making

A New Perspective It’s not because countries are poor that they cannot afford good health information. It’s because they are poor that they cannot afford to be without it.

Why Now? High interest and investment in global health Results-driven initiatives, including MDGs, the Global Fund, GAVI, and RBM have increased the need for sound health data Improving evidence-based decision making: OECD/DAC, World Bank Managing for Development Results; Marrakech Action Plans for Statistics (MAPS); Local and global decision makers want and need harmonized set of development agendas, such as health sector reform, SWAPs, PRSPs; guidelines and systems for information collection, analysis and use which reduce overlap and duplication in data collection efforts

The Added Value of HMN Facilitate interactive relationship between country and global levels Focus on building country systems Encourage donor alignment around country- led health information system development Provide technical advances, research Promote networking and information sharing including experiences and lessons learned, south-south collaboration, north-south twinning

HMN Goal and Objectives Goal:Goal: To increase the availability and use of timely and reliable health information in countries and globally through shared agreement on goals and coordinated investments in core health information systems Objectives:Objectives: 1.Develop framework and standards for health information systems 2.Support countries in applying the HMN framework 3.Develop incentives for enhanced dissemination and use of sound health information

HMN harmonized framework for health information Standards and methods for collecting health statistics that HMN partners agreed upon and align support for improving country's health information system Assessment and Monitoring Tools –a standardized questionnaire for diagnose critical gaps in health information, through which the current status of the HIS is evaluated against specific criteria

HMN Support to Countries Low and lower-middle income countries are eligible for long-term technical and financial support up to $500,000 in a given year. This group of countries is highest priority for HMN action. All countries except high income countries are eligible for technical assistance plus limited financial support up to $100,000 in a given year. All countries except high income countries are eligible for technical assistance in health information system areas for which they generate their own in-country financial resources. These countries can serve as regional centres of excellence and facilitate sharing of experiences.

Creating a Virtuous Cycle Global initiatives GFATM, GAVI. President's Initiative, MDGs stimulate results-based decision-making. Increased Demand Health sector reform. SWAPs. PRSP, Civil society, media, use of IT Increased Coordination Multiple stakeholder Involvement – Health and statistics constituencies support to HIS and statistics. Donors efforts agree to align and focus on building systems able to respond to country and donor needs.

Some Deliverables HMN framework available for all countries and partners Country metadata log book for all countries, linked to international household survey network database Health information system development in progress in up to 20 countries by end 2005 Health information system assessments in up to 50 countries by 2006 Improved health outcomes will be documented in at least 30 developing countries as a result of strengthened HIS by 2011

HMN Governance Partner-driven leadership and oversight –17-member governing board representing countries, donors and technical constituencies Lean organizational structure –Mission-oriented taskforces –Small secretariat hosted by WHO

HMN Board African Population and Health Research Center Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) Danish International Development Agency Department for International Development (U.K.) European Commission Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Ministry of Health, Mexico Ministry of Public Health, Thailand Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Statistics South Africa UNICEF United Nations Statistics Division U.S. Agency for International Development World Bank World Health Organization