SEA/RC63/R7
REGIONAL STRATEGY ON HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS The Regional Committee, Recalling World Health Assembly resolutions WHA61.18 and WHA63.15 on monitoring of the achievement of the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and its own resolution SEA/RC59/R10 endorsing the 10-point Regional Strategy for Strengthening Health Information Systems and urging Member States to use this strategic plan, the country action plan and the framework adopted by the Health Metrics Network (HMN) in the collection of data pertaining to MDGs and core health indicators, particularly disaggregated data, in order to track progress and measure achievements, Noting the Call to Action of the Global Health Information Forum 2010, organized in Thailand, which endorsed the principles of developing health information systems including mobilizing resources and investing at least 5% of health resources in national health information systems with at least 2% allocated to building vital statistics systems, as well as scaling up investments in information systems needed to track the emerging epidemiological transition, fostering integration of data and intersectoral collaboration and data-sharing, and supporting the development of health information workforce through capacity-building measures, Acknowledging that WHO, with other international and multilateral agencies, has made many efforts to support Member States to improve their national health information systems,
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Recognizing that health information, including vital statistics, would enable national health systems to achieve the best possible health outcomes through evidence-based policy decisions, as well as a better return on investment, Concerned that inadequate national capacity to strengthen national health information systems and the declining external support in relation to strengthening of health information systems are the major constraints in the implementation of the regional strategy for strengthening health information systems and the Call to Action of the Global Health Information Forum 2010, at both national and regional levels, and Noting that in order to continuously improve national health information to serve national, regional and global requirements of monitoring the health system’s progress, an action plan with a clear target and a strong commitment in terms of investment, capacity building and system implementation is essential, 1. URGES Member States: (1) to further commit investment in health information systems and institutional capacity for health information systems with support from national resources, and to mobilize other sources of funds; (2) to accelerate implementation of plans or programmes on strengthening national health information systems using the framework stipulated in the Regional Strategy for Strengthening Health Information Systems; (3) to monitor the progress and evaluate achievement of health information systems strengthening and the institutional capacities on a regular basis, and conduct midcourse corrections where necessary; and 2. REQUESTS the Regional Director: (1) to support Member States in implementing the Regional Strategy for Strengthening Health Information Systems and to follow up progress; (2) to conduct a series of technical consultations in order to improve essential health information systems, such as vital registration, health behaviour surveys and information systems for chronic diseases;
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(3) to mobilize resources from development partners and foundations to support health information systems strengthening and capacity building at the national and regional levels; and (4) to report progress and results of the implementation to the Sixty-eighth Session of the Regional Committee in 2015.
Fifth meeting, 10 September 2010
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