Assessing and Strengthening Informatics Capacities In Low Resource Settings

There is increasing global understanding of the need for reliable and timely health information as an essential foundation for public health action - critical in case of acute health threats.  Better data translates to better information which in turn to better knowledge, better decision, and better health.  Developments in this regard are hampered in low resource settings by great variability in reliability, validity, usability and timeliness of health information; fragmentation; limited analyses and use of data; lack of standards; chronic under-investment; and lack of country-level capacities to generate and use quality information. 

 Current advances in information technology and public health informatics are providing unprecedented opportunities to strengthen health information systems to respond effectively to public health emergencies of international concern and thereby contribute to global (US) public health security and health system strengthening.  This will require understanding of current informatics capacities in these settings.  We describe an assessment tool and its application in low resource settings in defining informatics capacities and developing action plans to strengthen information system. 

 Capacity building refers to the human, organizational, policy, and financial resources that are necessary to collect, process, analyze, report, transmit, disseminate, and use timely and accurate data planning, management or decision-making.  Capacity assessment that measures the resources available to the system, its methods of work and products, and its results in terms of data availability, quality, and use is the first step.  It helps establish a baseline, identify gaps, and monitor progress.  Assessment tools will help define the needs at central, regional, district, and facility levels; training needs of existing and new health workers, data managers, and health service managers; technical assistance needs in designing, managing, and supporting databases and software; and support needs including computers, ICT, and infrastructure (telephones, internet access, e-mail) needed for collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating data.