The Case for a National Health Information System Architecture: A Missing Link to Guiding National Development and Implementation

Developing countries and the global network of donors, programs and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have agreed that health systems need to become stronger if gains in health are to be achieved and sustained. Existing data collection and use is fragmented, disease specific, inconsistent and often of poor quality. Major factors contributing to the current situation are that the burden of data collection falls to health workers—and that this burden is excessive. What is needed is a national health information system that is capable of supporting day-to-day management, long-term planning, and policy development for the entire national health system. Front-line health workers who bear the burden of data collection should benefit from the availability of information for decision making in a well-designed health information system.