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Lastly, as part of this health strategy, the World Bank is providing the countries of the MENA region
with a number of technical and financial products for the expansion of access to health services for all
citizens. Two assessment tools are provided, the universal coverage assessment tool (UNICO) and the
universal coverage capacity assessment tool (UNICAT), which provide with useful insight about
necessary reforms that MENA countries might need to make, and global comparisons between
countries and their successful experiences in the process of achieving UHC.
3.7. What is the role of data and information management systems in terms of
improving access to health services in OIC?
Efficient health information systems and datamanagement are essential for improving access to health
services in general and the health status of each member state of the OIC in particular. Valid
information and data about the existing health systems can be used for a precise analysis, evaluation
and eventually recommendation on policy designs that improve the health status of people within the
OIC region.
According to WHO (2011), health information systems among the countries of the OIC region,
especially among the least developing ones, are outdated and insufficient to report the true status of
health services. One of the main problems that appear in some OIC countries is that the registration of
births and deaths is not reliable, which is also linked to inaccurate registered causes of death in many
cases. Low quality of information and data is also apparent in measures of timeliness and quality of
health services, health risks, mortality and intervention coverage. The reasons behind most of these
problems are outdated data collection systems, lack of trained personnel and the appropriate
technological equipment, as well as the lack of a legislative and regulatory framework that facilitates
the efficient use of health information systems. Furthermore, surveys that could provide useful
information are conducted in many OIC countries, but usually carried out with irregular planning and
in many cases without standardised methodologies -which means that data extracted from these
surveys is not comparable. Duplication of data is also not uncommon as a result of poor coordination
among the parties involved in carrying out each survey. As a result, many of these issues lead to
unreliable evaluations of policies and create an even bigger problem in the process of designing new
policies as well (SESRIC, 2013).
As it was mentioned above, the Strategic Health Programme for Action (SHPA) addresses many of the
current health problems of the OIC region, and the condition of health information systems is no
exception. The plan facilitates national governments to establish health information systems in order
to monitor diseases and health programmes, manage current patients, register morbidity and
mortality rates, evaluate health interventions and establish standards for global public health
informatics. Assistance is also provided to the ministries of health with the process of translating data
into knowledge and knowledge into guidelines to build new and more efficient health programmes
(OIC-SHPA, 2013). Overall, strengthening the current health information systems of the member states
and improving the credibility of data and data management plays a vital role in the process of
improving access to health care services for all citizens of the OIC region.