Data for planning through assessment of the role of maternal health data in decision making
1
1. Sydani Initiative for International Development, FCT Abuja, Nigeria 2. Sydani Institute for Research and Innovation, FCT Abuja, Nigeria, FCT Abuja, Nigeria
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2348
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Timely, accurate, and reliable maternal health data are more than numerical indicators in public health; they are critical tools for saving lives, improving service delivery, and ensuring accountability within health systems. In low-resource settings, persistent gaps in the availability, quality, and timeliness of maternal health data constrain evidence-based operational planning and efficient resource allocation. This study assesses the availability, quality, and use of maternal health data for policymakers in decision-making in northern Nigeria.
METHODS:
An exploratory qualitative study was conducted across six purposively selected states: Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, and Niger due to the regions' historical association with poor maternal health outcomes. Key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with twenty-four (24) government stakeholders, five (5) health training institutions, and six (6) civil society organisations involved in maternal health data generation and use. Semi-structured interview guides were pilot-tested, and all interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed using the World Health Organization (WHO) Health System Building Blocks Framework.
RESULTS:
Maternal health data are collected at the facility level daily using the National Health Management Information System (NHMIS) tools, and aggregated monthly to the cloud-based District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS 2) platform. Data are disaggregated by age, location, and facility performance and reviewed during quarterly Health Governance Committee meetings. Participants reported using data to guide facility-level operational planning, monitor skilled birth attendance coverage, and track budget performance. However, gaps such as limited skilled birth attendants' classification, inconsistent performance scorecard usage, and dependence on partner-driven data systems that are often unsustainable after partners exit, persist.
CONCLUSIONS:
Maternal health data is critical for operational planning and decision-making in northern Nigeria. Strengthening data systems, institutionalising performance monitoring tools, and improving community feedback mechanisms are recommended to improve evidence-based planning and maternal health outcomes across the region.
Timely, accurate, and reliable maternal health data are more than numerical indicators in public health; they are critical tools for saving lives, improving service delivery, and ensuring accountability within health systems. In low-resource settings, persistent gaps in the availability, quality, and timeliness of maternal health data constrain evidence-based operational planning and efficient resource allocation. This study assesses the availability, quality, and use of maternal health data for policymakers in decision-making in northern Nigeria.
METHODS:
An exploratory qualitative study was conducted across six purposively selected states: Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, and Niger due to the regions' historical association with poor maternal health outcomes. Key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with twenty-four (24) government stakeholders, five (5) health training institutions, and six (6) civil society organisations involved in maternal health data generation and use. Semi-structured interview guides were pilot-tested, and all interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed using the World Health Organization (WHO) Health System Building Blocks Framework.
RESULTS:
Maternal health data are collected at the facility level daily using the National Health Management Information System (NHMIS) tools, and aggregated monthly to the cloud-based District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS 2) platform. Data are disaggregated by age, location, and facility performance and reviewed during quarterly Health Governance Committee meetings. Participants reported using data to guide facility-level operational planning, monitor skilled birth attendance coverage, and track budget performance. However, gaps such as limited skilled birth attendants' classification, inconsistent performance scorecard usage, and dependence on partner-driven data systems that are often unsustainable after partners exit, persist.
CONCLUSIONS:
Maternal health data is critical for operational planning and decision-making in northern Nigeria. Strengthening data systems, institutionalising performance monitoring tools, and improving community feedback mechanisms are recommended to improve evidence-based planning and maternal health outcomes across the region.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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