Here at PATH, we love data because having access to accurate, timely data leads to better decisions. And when it's a decision on how many vaccines a community will need to protect its children from a debilitating disease, what's not to love about that? That's why we launched, with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and working with John Snow, Inc., a new initiative devoted to helping countries strengthen their immunisation management systems.
The better immunisation data initiative (BID)
The problem
Routine immunisations and new vaccine introductions have proven to be one of the best investments to improving people's health around the globe. However, global stakeholders and national governments quietly acknowledge that there are still strong challenges related to data quality, yet few can identify which problems matter most, and where to best focus solutions. Without reliable, easy-to-access, and actionable data on the barriers impeding immunisations, coupled with trained data managers, stakeholders interested in improving immunisation coverage are working with limited and often anecdotal data that may not correlate with the actual issues.
The approach
The BID initiative is designed to shine a light on the challenges surrounding data collection, quality, and use, and will identify practical, country-owned, country-led solutions in immunisation that could spread to other health interventions. We will partner with countries and global health stakeholders from the outset to develop and deploy a holistic and scalable approach that focuses on information system products, data management policies, and the practices of people that use them in order to enable evidence-based decision making. These components will be packaged into a replicable solution that can be easily and cost-effectively adapted by additional countries interested in using it to improve their immunisation management.
If we are successful, a true tipping point will occur—one in which countries can access, analyse, and act upon accurate immunisation data—anytime, anywhere, resulting in improved immunisation outcomes, and healthier families and communities. So while we may be driven by saving lives, better data provides the roadmap for making sure we succeed.
Learn more about the BID Initiative or find out how to get involved by contacting BIDInitiative@path.org.
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