Key Messages
Key issues in India's health information systems include:
Myriad data systems collect reams of public health data, often much more than necessary.
These data systems function in silos and do not lend themselves to a holistic view of the health system's performance.
India lacks a functional public policy framework to guide health data use and sharing, and the data systems are often not interoperable.
Key Implications
Key considerations for policymakers:
Deliberate and agree upon a robust health data sharing and use policy framework that enables user-centric data flows and inter-system data sharing.
Make actionability the bedrock of data collection efforts by ensuring that systems collect data that either contribute to indicators for measuring health systems performance or support health workers in critical daily tasks.
Democratize access to aggregate public health data to citizens and researchers. Set up institutional mechanisms for use of data for research to safeguard citizens' privacy rights.
Embed true interoperability, prioritize decentralization, and consider legacy systems in health information system design.
Engage with the private sector to collect data to create a more comprehensive picture of health care service delivery and quality in the country.
MULTIPLE SYSTEMS FOR COLLECTING PUBLIC HEALTH DATA IN INDIA INTRODUCE AVOIDABLE REDUNDANCIES
The health data ecosystem in India consists of several parallel systems for collecting public health data, including the health management information system (HMIS), the Mother and Child Tracking System/Reproductive and Child Health Portal (MCTS/RCH), and other state-specific health data monitoring systems.1,2
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) created the HMIS to monitor health programs and provide key inputs for policy formulation and interventions. Currently, around 200,000 health facilities across all districts in India upload facility data every month directly on the HMIS web portal.3 Launched in 2009,1 the MCTS captured information on the delivery of the full spectrum of health care and immunization services to pregnant women …
