The district health information system (DHIS) as the support mechanism for strengthening the health care system

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to show how information from the District Health Information System can be used to empower managers to make evidence-based decisions that will strengthen the health care system to reduce the under-five mortality rate. A quantitative, contextual, exploratory evaluative and descriptive approach was followed and a data extraction framework, based on systems theory, was developed to guide the process of extracting existing routine data. A results-based approach was used to measure under-five mortality related health care in terms of impact, outcomes, outputs, processes and inputs. The study has highlighted that proxy indicators obtained this way places health care managers in the position to monitor progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal for child mortality in the interim periods between large population surveys. The findings displayed in the diagnostic performance profile revealed that drastic interventions are required to reduce the under-five mortality rate.