Country Ownership and Strengthening Health Information Systems
Jan 25 2012
Fostering country ownership as a way to strengthen health information systems is explored in this new Better Health Systems - Strategies that Work brief.
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The terms “country owned” and “country led” are not simply a re-branding of the development status quo, but rather signify a fundamental paradigm shift in which countries take charge of their own development. Read the full brief.
The concept of country ownership has particular relevance to health systems strengthening, which requires significant system changes, policy reform, and strong national leadership.
.jpg "A clinic waiting area in Nigeria. Credit: Harvey Nelson/Courtesy of Photoshare")
If a country “owns” an effort, then it is more likely to make decisions that will be sustainable. Health Systems 20/20’s most complete application of the concept of country ownership has been in the area of health information systems in Kenya, Nigeria, and Namibia.
"Country ownership is the surest way for developing countries to chart their own course of development and overcome the challenges they face in building effective and productive states."
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Ethiopia's Minister of Health, from his commentary "Achieving the health MDGs: country ownership in four steps," The Lancet 376 (9747), 2-8 October 2010.
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