Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network Strengthening Country-Level and Global Tracking of Health Outcomes

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Information: A Public Good Under-financed and under-supplied Responsibility falls to the public sector Requires new investment and new incentives to overcome the barriers to production Deaths and economic losses due to SARS remind us that, “What you don’t know can hurt you”

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Information: Engine for Change Accountability spurs better resource allocation Transparency improves governance and policies Enables leadership and training Data instrumental in research Focuses attention on equity Necessary for behavior change Prerequisite for service quality improvement

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Information: An Emerging Opportunity Gathering momentum with the MDGs Growing needs with the initiatives providing performance-based funding (GAVI, GFATM) SARS and emerging antimicrobial resistance reveal the shared benefits of surveillance Need and opportunity to achieve new synergy among global and country-level efforts

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network Proposed partnership of key multilateral institutions, bilaterals and foundations working in the health sector with an interested in strengthening national capacity to monitor the health-related MDGs and other core health indicators Detailed plans under development Seeking formative input July 8, 2003 principals meeting

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network: Guiding Principles Will add value, not duplicate existing systems Strengthen global, national, and local systems to drive improvements in equity, quality, and accountability

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network: Objectives Enable performance-based monitoring of interventions; Build demand for transparency, accountability, and evidence as a basis for decisions; and, Advance the state-of-the-art (research, policy, services, advocacy, and governance) and equitable improvements in health.

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network: Core Indicators Focus on indicators linked to funding opportunities and the MDGs Draft list includes 24 (33 total sub- indicators), addressing the needs for tracking progress for: –Health MDGs –GFATM –GAVI

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network: Key National Data Collection Platforms Vital events monitoring Periodic household surveys Health service delivery registries Disease surveillance

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network: Program Components 1) Development and/or harmonization of norms and standards to monitor core indicators through national data collection systems (service delivery registries, disease surveillance, vital registration and household surveys). 2) R&D for new tools to measure core indicators

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network: Program Components 3) Country support to develop plans to achieve minimum information systems required and to raise funds from multilateral and bilateral sources for the required investments in national capacity building. 4) Global acreditation of minimum information system for core indicators, collation and validation of indicator values dissemination

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network: Potential Structures HMN members alliance Coordinating board of principal partners and developing country representatives Component 1 and 2 organized through indicator specific and data collection platform task forces. Task forces would bring together all relevant actors on a subject. Secretariat to support HMN and orchestrate components 3 and 4

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network: Issues Governance that can transcend pressures to change data but ensure appropriate UN leadership in establishing norms. Balance between need for rapid progress to harmonize different agencies health monitoring requirements and the longer-term agenda of norms development/harmonization including incorporating new tools

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network: Issues Effective linkage of information for programme management and information for monitoring/evidence building Maintaining focus on a short-list of core indicators, avoiding indicator creep

Evidence and Information for Policy Health Metrics Network: Next Steps July 8, 2003 meeting of principals -- multilaterals, bilaterals, foundations and developing country leaders Meeting intended to create consensus on the objectives, work components and governance issues.