A Study of the District Health Information System in Mandera County, Kenya
Study Justification
Improvement in health is recognized as a central factor for development in poor countries. Public health decision making is critically dependent on accurate, timely and reliable information to improve development. To make decision-making possible, managers and policy makers need good information about the current situation of the health of the population. To acquiring good information, a well-functioning health information system (HIS) for gathering, processing, analyzing and using health information is needed (WHO, 2007).
There is a widespread belief that most of the national and sub-national health information systems fail in providing much needed information support for evidence based health planning and interventions. This situation is more acute in developing nations where resources are
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However, a lack of relevant research done at county level about the introduction and use of technologies like information systems, justifies the taking of this research. This research will therefore focus on the introduction, utilization, challenges, and improvements of Health Information Systems at Mandera County in Kenya.
Objectives
The main aims and objectives of this study are, to explore the procedures, tools and problems related to primary health care data collection, storage, use and information flows, and to offer ideas and suggestions on how to improve the systems of routine data collection, storage, analysis and use of information, and more generally to improve the flows of information and health care information systems in Mandera County.
The main research question that will be answered in this research is:
How can use and management of health information be improved at Mandera County for timely and accurate decision-making of public health