Accelerating Country Health Information Systems (HIS) Strengthening through Improved Availability of Technical Support Expertise to Low and Middle Income Countries

A critical rate determining step in country implementation of health information systems strengthening interventions is the availability of technical support, responsive to felt needs. This paper examines initial lessons learned by a recently established global technical support partnership dedicated to providing technical support needed by low to middle income, members states of the World Health Assembly.

 Accumulated global lessons on the challenges and failures in technical support provision by international agencies have been chronicled. In response to these lessons, the Health Metrics Network Technical Support Partnership (HMN-TSP) was founded on the strategic principles of country ownership, promotion of sustainability of human capacity development, greater south-south learning, network formation with other global health agencies, to leverage knowledge and collateral financing for HIS.

 Since its inception in October 2008, the HMN TSP has contributed technical support to more than 30 countries  to assist in HIS development and strengthening. For that purpose, it has trained and certified 62 consultants from 22 countries in 5 continents. HMN TSP has entered into alliances with US CDC, the World Bank and six WHO Regional offices around the world.

 Although much more will be learned, one certainty insofar as technical support for HIS is concerned, is that countries are better served by forging greater alliances around common standards and tools. Anticipating country decisions about choice of results-oriented consultants requires continuous understanding of  local interests and contextual considerations. The use of internet-based applications to create brokerage between offerors and consumers of technical support is at its early stages and a demo will be shown to facilitate direct country-led searches, appraisal and selection of consultants.