The district M&E Officers initiated activities to strengthen data management, quality, reporting, and utilization for evidence-based planning.
The development of a cadre of district M&E Officers has contributed positively to the health information system in Botswana through the initiation of a variety of activities to strengthen data management, quality, reporting, and utilization for evidence-based planning.
Strengthening data for decision making focuses on the district level – the key management unit to support and monitor service delivery improvements at the facility level.
The programme does this by strengthening national data management systems that are relevant to children, improving analysis and reporting, and using and sharing findings through various communication channels and modalities.
More capacity needs to be developed and strengthened in data management and analysis.
It is important to develop a contracting framework and strengthen the data management system with indicators for measuring and monitoring performance.
Using routinely collected data to support analyses that inform policy and management decisions strengthens data quality at the national level.
Moreover, while the implementation of the computerized health management information system strengthened data storage, service delivery, program monitoring and reporting, it expanded the uses of the data to research as data are available for an entire population and over time.
We support the Government to revise policies and legislation, strengthen the national data management system on children with disabilities and establishfamily support as well as alternative care services.
Because there is still a lack of systematic and reliable data within the education sector, UNICEF gives support to strengthen and improve data management and has helped to develop a new education management information system.
Successes in HIV which contributed to controlling the epidemic include: improved planning and managing of resources, better financing mechanisms, human resources strengthening, augmented infrastructure, developing and strengthening supply systems, better data management and clinical services and behaviour change interventions among patients and providers [ 14].
