Category: Policies & Practices
Building for sustainability: A Q&A about BID’s total cost of ownership tool
Nov 16, 2017
In order to achieve the long-term sustainability of data quality and data use interventions countries and governments must understand the financial investment to develop, implement, and sustain such tools as Tanzania’s and Zambia’s electronic immunization registries (EIRs). This information can help governments budget for and plan for expansion. We caught up with BID’s Senior Health Economist, Mercy Mvundura, to better understand the role of a total cost of ownership (TCO) tool and how it will benefit other countries interested in implementing their own digital health initiatives.
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Scaling data quality and data use interventions at the NetHope Summit
Nov 2, 2017
Last week, the BID Initiative traveled to Vancouver, Canada to present at the annual NetHope Global Summit. Between October 23-27, more than 300 representatives from across the global health sector, leading technology companies, and funding organizations gathered to address a common goal: the power and promise of technology to address the problems and potential of humanity.
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From noise to knowledge: BID Initiative releases white paper about creating a culture of data use
Oct 26, 2017
What is a data use culture? Why is it important? And how can it be strengthened? These are some of the questions addressed in PATH’s newly released white paper on Defining and Building a Data Use Culture. Over the past decade, the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to improve health outcomes has multiplied in the global health sector. One of the primary benefits of ICTs is the improved ability to collect, analyze, and use data. But to do this well and sustainability requires fostering a data use culture.
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Completion of Tanga marks new milestone for the BID Initiative
Oct 19, 2017
Last month, the BID Initiative completed its second region in Tanzania. Expansion to Tanga provided an opportunity to apply and test the efficacy of data quality and data use interventions, such as defaulter tracing to pinpoint which children had missed a vaccine. As a region with more rural communities, Tanga presented certain logistical challenges with mostly farmers, fishermen and a few pastoralist populations. Interventions were introduced in all 321 health facilities in the region and more than 55,000 children have been entered into the Tanzania Immunization Registry (TImR) in Tanga.
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Taking the BID Initiative to the TechNet conference
Oct 18, 2017
This week, the BID Initiative is headed to Cascais, Portugal for the 15th TechNet conference. We’re looking forward to showcasing the progress and lessons of the BID Initiative from the last four years. The TechNet Conference is led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF’s Immunization Supply Chain Hub and is co-organized by a multi-partner planning committee.
It brings together immunization professionals/managers, public health agents, development partners, experts, cold chain/vaccine manufacturers, and stakeholders from all around the world to discuss the latest developments in immunization practices and policy.
Becoming data detectives: Health care workers find new meaning in numbers
Oct 4, 2017
Salome Mbegela was sifting through immunization records when she first noticed a discrepancy – a slight uptick in the number of children who had recently missed vaccines. “Defaulters” as they’re often known, are not uncommon in Arusha, Tanzania, where Salome is a reproductive and child health (RCH) nurse. Mothers often encounter long wait times at clinics, vaccine stock-outs that require they come back another day, and a burdensome commute to the nearest health facility.
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Building a “smarter” Zambia – the BID Initiative helps advance country’s digital revolution
Sep 22, 2017
From online banking, to a solar-powered Internet café, and electronic vouchers for the distribution of micro-loans, Zambia is undergoing a digital revolution that is dramatically influencing the growth of the country. More than 80% of Zambians have access to a phone, and 40% have access to 3G connectivity.
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BID Initiative shares lessons and recommendations in new series of briefs
Sep 15, 2017
From its earliest days, the BID Initiative has been committed to sharing its learnings with others interested in improving immunization data quality and use. We recently launched a series of briefs summarizing our work alongside the governments of Tanzania and Zambia and our lessons and recommendations spanning seven key subject areas, ranging from the software development cycle, to change management, and peer learning.
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Reaching the last mile – a Q&A with a nurse using automated, electronic reports to trace immunization defaulters
Sep 7, 2017
Oloipiri Dispensary is among the facilities that are using Tanzania’s Electronic Immunization Registry (TImR) to record and analyze immunization information. Located in Ngonorongoro district in Arusha, Tanzania, the district borders Kenya and is comprised of mostly pastoral communities. Because of its porous border and high rates of migration, many families struggle to make immunization clinics. Children are, therefore, more likely to default on their needed immunizations. Recently, we caught up with Nurse Iddi Ally Mwambuly of Oloipiri Dispensary to understand how better data and greater visibility into that data is helping to identify defaulting children and close Tanzania’s immunization gap.
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Zambia’s First Lady praises progress as the BID Initiative celebrates improvements in data quality and use
Jul 27, 2017
On Friday, staff from the Zambia Ministry of Health (MOH) and the BID Initiative waited eagerly in a grand ballroom. Staff dressed in colour chitenge fabric outfits or smart suits waited for the arrival of Zambia’s First Lady, Mrs. Esther Lungu and Dr. Chilufya Chitalu, the Minister of Health. Mrs. Lungu is an advocate for maternal and child health, and her strong stance on immunization supports BID Initiative’s objectives.
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