The World Well being Group has performed a five-day capacity-building coaching for 22 nationwide well being observatory focal factors from Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Uganda to generate a collection of information merchandise that can help well being decision-making processes.
The coaching was launched on September 05, 2022, at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda, by Mr. Paul Mbaka, the Assistant Commissioner of Well being Companies answerable for the Division of Well being Info, on the Ministry of Well being, and WHO’s workforce led by Dr. Bayo Fatunmbi, the Officer in Cost and Cluster Lead for Communicable and Non-Communicable illnesses on the WHO Nation Workplace in Uganda.
Talking on the launch, Mr Paul Mbaka stated that over the previous decade, African nations have sought to contribute to the strengthening of the well being data system via the institution of Nationwide Well being Observatories (NHOs). These play a key position in utilizing data and information on tendencies in well being and its social determinants for coverage dialogue, in addition to for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of nationwide methods and plans.
“To realize the aims of the Nationwide Well being Observatories, past information assortment, we should be capable to generate usable information, facilitate the usage of information and encourage exchanges (community/dialogue) based mostly on this information,” Mr. Paul Mbaka pressured.
The information technology, orientation and capability constructing workshop was a part of the technique to develop the built-in African Well being Observatory (iAHO), a platform that gives real-time overview and dependable well being data within the WHO African Area. It is usually a step in direction of assembly the dedication of the Regional Committee for Africa, which earlier this yr set a goal of reaching 47 absolutely practical nationwide well being observatories by 2024, as a part of strengthening the usage of proof, data, and analysis for policymaking within the Area.
By detailed methodology and sensible periods, the coaching has improved contributors’ capacities to develop high quality information merchandise together with analytical factsheets, information factsheets, weblog articles, coverage briefs, and infographics, and strengthened their capability to synthesize proof and generate information all through the policy-action cycle.
“This workshop has strengthened nations’ capacities to develop information merchandise via nationwide well being observatory to enhance the usage of information to tell well being resolution making of their respective nations,”- Dr. Serge Bataliack, the Coordinator of built-in African Well being Observatory on the WHO Regional Workplace for Africa.
Dr. Serge additionally defined that every collaborating nation got here with a draft of two information merchandise which had been evaluated and commented on by the workforce for enchancment.
“In my nation, we produce plenty of information, however I perceive that this information is typically too technical for use successfully by decision-makers. This coaching has strengthened my capability to offer well being data in a quite simple technique to be understood and utilized by non-health professionals.” Mr. Thomas Ankomah, Statistician on the Ministry of Well being, Ghana.
Like different data managers who attended the coaching, Mr. Thomas will, with WHO help, cascade the information he has gained to his counterparts within the Ministry of Well being, the Nationwide Well being Observatory, and the Human Sources Observatory to supply easy, good-quality merchandise to enhance the nationwide well being data system.