Improving the Quality and Use of Malaria Surveillance Data: Results from Evaluating an Integrated Malaria Information Storage System at the Health Facility Level in Selected Districts in Mozambique

Ann-Sophie Stratil Malaria Consortium, London, United Kingdom;

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Neide Canana Malaria Consortium, Maputo, Mozambique;

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Maria Rodrigues Malaria Consortium, Maputo, Mozambique;

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Sarmento Armando Malaria Consortium, Maputo, Mozambique;

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Sergio Gomane Malaria Consortium, Maputo, Mozambique;

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Edson Zandamela Malaria Consortium, Maputo, Mozambique;

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Kevin Baker Malaria Consortium, London, United Kingdom;
Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden;

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Arantxa Roca-Feltrer Malaria Consortium, London, United Kingdom;

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Baltazar Candrinho National Malaria Control Programme at Ministry of Health, Maputo, Mozambique

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.23-0138
Volume/Issue:
Ahead of Print
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Mozambique addressed critical malaria surveillance system challenges by rolling out an integrated malaria information storage system (iMISS) at the district level in February 2021. The iMISS integrates malaria data from existing systems across thematic program areas to improve data availability and use. In seven districts, the platform was extended to health facilities (HFs), allowing HFs to access iMISS and use tablets to submit monthly malaria reports to a central database, eliminating the need for paper-based reporting to districts. A structured evaluation of the iMISS rollout to HFs was carried out in February–July 2021. The four evaluation areas were data quality (reporting rate, timeliness, and fidelity) of monthly malaria reports electronically submitted to the iMISS, adoption of the iMISS for data-informed decision-making, system maintenance, and acceptability of the iMISS among target users. All 94 HFs in the seven targeted districts were assessed. Over the 6-month period, 86.1% of reported cases on the iMISS were consistent with cases recorded in paper-based reports, allowing for up to 10% discrepancy. In addition, 69.0% of expected monthly district meetings were held, and information from iMISS was discussed during 58.6% of these meetings. Maintenance issues, mostly related to tablet access and internet connectivity, were experienced by 74.5% of HFs; 33.7% of issues were resolved within 1 month. The iMISS and electronic submission of malaria reports were well accepted by HF- and district-level users. Continued political commitment and timely execution of issue management workflows are crucial to ensure trust in the new platform and facilitate higher levels of data use.

Author Notes

Financial support: This evaluation was funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1183725/INV-009959). The funders had no role in the data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Data availability: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Authors’ addresses: Ann-Sophie Stratil and Arantxa Roca-Feltrer, Malaria Consortium, London, United Kingdom, E-mails: a.stratil@malariaconsortium.org and afeltrer@path.org. Neide Canana, Maria Rodrigues, Sarmento Armando, Sergio Gomane, and Edson Zandamela, Malaria Consortium, Maputo, Mozambique, E-mails: n.canana@malariaconsortium.org, m.rodrigues@malariaconsortium.org, s.armando@malariaconsortium.org, gomanemz@gmail.com, and e.zandamela@malariaconsortium.org. Kevin Baker, Malaria Consortium, London, United Kingdom, and Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, E-mail: k.baker@malariaconsortium.org. Baltazar Candrinho, National Malaria Control Programme at Ministry of Health, Maputo, Mozambique, E-mail: candrinhobaltazar@gmail.com.

Address correspondence to Ann-Sophie Stratil, Malaria Consortium, London E2 9DA, United Kingdom. E-mail: a.stratil@malariaconsortium.org
Copyright:
© The author(s) 2024
Received:
06 Mar 2023
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Accepted:
25 Aug 2023
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Published Online:
23 Jan 2024
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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