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Chapter 8 of AHOP's Nigeria Health Systems and Services Profile.
Key messages
- Nigeria has a well-crafted National Health Management Information System (NHMIS) policy, and most states have equivalent state-level policies. However, aspirational policy provisions are not reflected in practice, and there is no standardized mechanism for the real-time use of routinely collected data for decision-making.
- The implementation of NHMIS policies is constrained by underfunding, inadequate information and communications technology infrastructure, a limited capacity to collect data and a weak culture of using data. There are few dedicated health records officers, coordination is poor and clarity is lacking on health information system roles and activities.
- The NHMIS deploys District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2) software to effectively capture routine health data. However, the level of adoption of DHIS2 remains low at the health facility level. The achievement of objectives set out in the NHMIS policy is constrained by poor data integration, incomplete data from public facilities and private sector underreporting.
- Health information system governance structures at the subnational level need strengthening, to monitor and enforce data reporting from all sectors. The level of data reporting by the private sector could be increased by stipulating that data reporting requirements must be met for annual operating licences to be renewed. Scaling up the DHIS2 mobile phone client to include all primary health centres and private hospitals could help address data completeness and underreporting.
- Data use in decision-making could be strengthened by raising awareness of available Federal Ministry of Health information products, such as the monthly bulletin.