The Health Data Collaborative is a joint effort by multiple global health partners to work alongside countries to improve the availability, quality and use of data for local decision-making and tracking progress toward the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Priorities as a partner of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data

Rationale

As the world transitions to the SDGs, with the vast scope of country data required to monitor progress across health and other sectors, there is a need for smarter, more efficient investments in country data systems and capacities in order to foster development of scaled and sustainable national systems. The measurement of universal health coverage, for example, requires simultaneous monitoring of financial protection, as well as a set of service coverage interventions spanning the full spectrum of health priorities and performance. This requires a much more concerted integrated approach to measurement and use of evidence, including harnessing of innovations provided by the digital and data revolution, and greater alignment of both domestic and external investments to ensure well-resourced and effective country systems.

Approach

Strengthening health data systems requires a more efficient collective and purposeful approach, with experimentation, learning, and evaluation of what works in different contexts. Working with six “future exemplary” countries, partners of the Health Data Collaborative will work with country leaders in a concerted and collective approach, to leverage and align technical and financial resources in support of key essential interventions for strengthening country data systems and capacities.

Key areas of focus will include strengthening data and capacity required for monitoring progress on universal health coverage, including inequality monitoring, progress in health systems strengthening (including primary health care performance improvement), monitoring of the health SDGs including women’s children’s health, noncommunicable diseases and communicable diseases, including real-time data for early detection, notification, and response.

    Objectives

    The ultimate goal is to improve the availability, quality, and use of disaggregated health data at national and subnational levels to drive resource allocation, performance improvement, management, policy dialogue, and monitoring.

    Specific objectives are to:

    1. Promote and facilitate greater alignment of investments (both domestic and external resources) in one single country health information system with direct technical assistance and support.
    2. Identify challenges and obstacles that impede performance and opportunities to improve data systems for increased effectiveness and value for money.
    3. Implement a focused performance monitoring and benchmarking approach to track, study and share progress, and the interplay of context, inputs, activities, and outcomes.
    4. Identify, document and disseminate best practices through case studies and policy briefs to contribute to the scaling of the approach in other countries.