Health information systems in Africa: descriptive analysis of data sources, information products and health statistics.

Objective: To identify key data sources of health information and describe their availability in countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region.

Methods: An analytical review on the availability and quality of health information data sources in countries; from experience, observations, literature and contributions from countries.

Setting: Forty-six Member States of the WHO African Region.

Participants: No participants.

Main Outcome Measures: The state of data sources, including censuses, surveys, vital registration and health care facility-based sources.

Results: In almost all countries of the Region, there is a heavy reliance on household surveys for most indicators, with more than 121 household surveys having been conducted in the Region since 2000. Few countries have civil registration systems that permit adequate and regular tracking of mortality and causes of death. Demographic surveillance sites function in several countries, but the data generated are not integrated into the national health information system because of concerns about representativeness. Health management information systems generate considerable data, but the information is rarely used because of concerns about bias, quality and timeliness. To date, 43 countries in the Region have initiated Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response.

Conclusions: A multitude of data sources are used to track progress towards health-related goals in the Region, with heavy reliance on household surveys for most indicators. Countries need to develop comprehensive national plans for health information that address the full range of data needs and data sources and that include provision for building national capacities for data generation, analysis, dissemination and use.