Getting the most out of HMIS data on contraceptive self-injection

This Making Self-Injection Count workshop session provided an overview of self-injection indicators across countries and how those can be integrated into HMIS/LMIS systems and analyzed to answer programmatic and research questions. Stories from Uganda and Nigeria highlighted common challenges in integrating self-injection indicators into these systems. Breakout rooms at the end of the session allowed participants to discuss and receive suggestions and feedback on their own HMIS/LMIS integration efforts through peer-to-peer conversations.

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants were able to:

• Identify common self-injection indicators, challenges in integrating these indicators into HMIS/LMIS systems, and potential strategies for overcoming them.
• Have a deeper understanding of how to match common self-injection HMIS indicators to programmatic and/or research questions and how to translate those to actionable data.

Key takeaways

• Self-injection introduction into a national family planning program can help expand contraceptive choices and options.
• To continuously monitor the unique contribution of self-injection to the family planning program, routine data are necessary.
• Self-injection data use helps to inform decision-making through the identification of policy and programmatic gaps, such as:
  • Number of units for training, approval for specific cadres of providers, need for better counseling messages and tools.
• Data and indicators to integrate in HMISes must be useful and usable.
• There is benefit to complementing routine data with other from additional sources, e.g., research studies or surveys.
• A proactive government is vital to the success of self-injection data integration.
• Competing priorities and limited funding are perennial challenges to integrating self-injection in HMIS data.

Presenters

• Alain Kabore, Regional Technical Advisor, DMPA-SC Access Collaborative, PATH
• Allen Namagembe, Deputy Director, Uganda, DMPA-SC Access Collaborative, PATH
• Dr. Adewole Adefalu, Country Coordinator, DMPA-SC Access Collaborative, John Snow, Inc.