Participants learned the importance of data analysis, management, and dissemination over the course of the three-day workshop.
Data for decision-making is an essential approach for The Challenge Initiative (TCI) because it highlights the importance of data analysis, management, and dissemination. Effective data management is crucial to accurately share the true impact of any intervention or pilot project. Authorities can leverage this data to showcase their district’s progress, compete with other districts, and make informed decisions that benefit their communities. To this end, the Department of Health in Karachi Central district in Pakistan decided to strengthen their staff’s capacity in data management tools while also developing a cadre of new master coaches to embed in the health system.
Capacity-building sessions for data systems had been held regularly in Karachi Central before stopping altogether during COVID-19. This disruption led to data inaccuracies and poor-quality monitoring. But late last year, TCI’s team in Sindh Province organized a three-day capacity-building workshop on the District Health Information System (DHIS) and Contraceptive Logistics Management Information System (cLMIS). The workshop was designed to develop the skills of potential new master coaches from all districts engaged with TCI in Sindh (Karachi and Hyderabad), including technical staff, women medical officers, non-technical staff, M&E coordinators, and dispensers. Master coaches are responsible for transferring knowledge and skills to their colleagues within their departments.
The training covered an introduction to DHIS and cLMIS, outpatient data, in-patient data, data collection for catchment areas, stock registers for medicines and supplies, and monthly reports. Three master coaches – Maimoona Khan (DHIS coordinator), Dr. Javeria Nawab, and Dr. Muniba Affan (Women Medical Officer) with support from Dr. Uzair Pirzada (TCI’s focal person) – led several sessions, including one on manual data entry so participants will be able to accurately complete family planning registers and minimize data errors. The master coaches began with a session on the DHIS Family Planning section. Maimoona Khan recalled the last meeting in 2019 and noted that TCI had motivated and inspired them to refocus on family planning uptake.
Dr. Muniba Affan shared her views on the trickle-down impact of the training:
The training was immensely helpful in gaining understanding regarding all DHIS tools. And the process of trickling it down [is] necessary to build the staff’s capacity and understanding the importance of it. That’s how we will bring a significant impact and will ensure quality and accuracy of data.”
An entire day was devoted to just DHIS and cLMIS tools, at the request of participants. Report preparation is often a difficult process with numerous data-related queries, which the one-day session addressed. Reflecting on this, Dr. Javeria Nawab said:
It was a great initiative to plan such an important session on DHIS. A revision helps us to sort out data effectively for upcoming reporting and help our other colleagues with it.”
The workshop’s impact has now extended beyond individual districts and departments, inspiring others to organize similar training sessions. This collaborative effort enhanced interaction and coordination across districts, showcasing the power of knowledge-sharing and collective action in advancing healthcare systems.
