TY - JOUR T1 - Health Sector Resource Mapping in Malawi: Sharing the Collection and Use of Budget Data for Evidence-Based Decision Making JF - Global Health: Science and Practice JO - GLOB HEALTH SCI PRACT SP - 793 LP - 803 DO - 10.9745/GHSP-D-21-00232 VL - 9 IS - 4 AU - Ian Yoon AU - Pakwanja Twea AU - Stephanie Heung AU - Sakshi Mohan AU - Nikhil Mandalia AU - Saadiya Razzaq AU - Leslie Berman AU - Eoghan Brady AU - Andrews Gunda AU - Gerald Manthalu Y1 - 2021/12/31 UR - http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/9/4/793.abstract N2 - Key FindingsResource mapping, an exercise conducted by the Government of Malawi, has tracked budgets for health since 2011 using a census-survey data collection approach.We describe 4 ways that data have been used to improve efficient allocation of resources and mobilize new funding for government priorities. This includes national- and district-level planning and budgeting, prioritizing and coordinating existing funds by estimating resource availability, mobilizing new resources by conducting financial gap analyses against costed national strategic plans, and generating evidence to support the national response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Institutionalization of the resource mapping process and tools has been supported by iterative design improvements that mitigate implementation challenges and ensure that collected data are relevant to the needs of policy makers. In turn, this drives demand for resource mapping data from health sector stakeholders.Key ImplicationsPolicy makers should ensure that health resource-tracking exercises are fit for their purpose and designed around the end user.A flexible approach to resource tracking is advantageous if resource allocation decisions are to be responsive to health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.Background:In 2011, the Ministry of Health in Malawi developed and institutionalized a resource-tracking process, known as resource mapping (RM), to collect information on planned funding flows across the health sector to support resource allocation and mobilization decisions. We analyze the RM process and tools and describe key uses of the data for health financing decision making to achieve universal health coverage (UHC).Methods:We applied a case study approach, written as a collaboration between policy makers who have led the RM process in Malawi and the implementation team who have developed tools, collected data, and reported results over the period. It draws on our experiences in conducting RM in Malawi to document the RM process and data, key uses of data, implementation challenges, and lessons learned. We conducted a gray literature review to understand rounds of RM in which we did not participate. Finally, we conducted a search of published literature to situate our work in the international health resource-tracking literature.Results:The RM exercise in Malawi is iteratively designed around the needs of the end users and policy priorities of the government, which in turn drives institutionalization of the exercise. We describe 4 ways in which RM data has been used, including national and district planning and budgeting; prioritization and coordination of existing funds by estimating resource availability; mobilization of new resources by conducting financial gap analysis against costed national strategic plans; and generation of evidence to support the national response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.Discussion:To achieve UHC goals in Malawi, RM has equipped the government and development partners with critical data used for resource mobilization and coordination decisions. Lessons learned from RM in Malawi may be applicable to other countries starting or refining their own health resource-tracking exercise. ER -