The Nigerian health information system policy review of 2014 : the need, content, expectations and progress.

BACKGROUND: Nigeria's national health information system (HIS) data sources are grouped into institutional and population based data that traverse many government institutions. Communication and collaboration between these institutions are limited, fraught with fragmentation and challenges national HIS functionality. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this paper was to share insights from and the implications of a recent review of Nigeria's HIS policy in 2014 that resulted in its substantial revision. We also highlight some subsequent enactments. REVIEW PROCESS AND OUTCOMES: In 2013, Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Health launched an inter-ministerial and multi-departmental review of the National Health Management Information System policy of 2006. The review was guided by World Health Organization's 'Framework and Standards for Country Health Information Systems'. The key finding was a lack of governance mechanisms in the execution of the policy, including an absent data management governance process. The review also found a multiplicity of duplicative, parallel reporting tools and platforms. CONCLUSION: Recommendations for HIS Policy revisions were proposed to and implemented by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The revised HIS policy now provides for a strong framework for the leadership and governance of the HIS with early results.

Knowledge of obstetric danger signs amongst women of reproductive age in PATHS2 Zaria cluster, Kaduna Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The Partnership for Transforming Health Systems 2 (PATHS2) in Nigeria is implementing selected Behavior Change Communication (BCC) models to increase the knowledge of obstetric danger signs amongst women of reproductive age in Kaduna, Nigeria. The objective of this survey was to establish baseline proportions for knowledge of at least four danger signs of pregnancy, delivery and postpartum period respectively amongst women age 15-49, residing within 25 selected communities in Zaria. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was carried out amongst the eligible women within the communities. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used for interview. RESULTS: 617 (94.5% response) eligible women participated in the study. Only 113 (18.31%) knew at least four danger signs during pregnancy. 61 (9.89%) knew at least four danger signs that can occur during labor and delivery and only 57 (9.24%) knew at least four danger signs that can occur during the postpartum period. CONCLUSION: A high proportion of the respondents are unaware of obstetric danger signs. It is recommended that radio broadcast be used as part of efforts towards increasing the proportion of women with knowledge of four or more obstetric danger signs in the study population.