Data utilisation and factors influencing the performance of the health management information system in Tanzania

Background Health Management Information System (HMIS) is a set of data regularly collected at health care facilities to meet the needs of statistics on health services. This study aimed to determine the utilisation of HMIS data and factors influencing the health system's performance at the district and primary health care facility levels in Tanzania. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out in 11 districts and involved 115 health care facilities in Tanzania. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire administered to health workers at facility and district levels and documented using an observational checklist. Thematic content analysis approach was used to synthesise and triangulate the responses and observations to extract essential information. Results A total of 93 healthcare facility workers and 13 district officials were interviewed. About two-thirds (60%) of the facility respondents reported using the HMIS data, while only five out of 13 district respondents (38.5%) reported analysing HMIS data routinely. The HMIS data were mainly used for comparing performance in terms of services coverage (53%), monitoring of disease trends over time (50%), and providing evidence for community health education and promotion programmes (55%). The majority (41.4%) of the facility's personnel had not received any training on data management related to HMIS during the past 12 months prior to the survey. Less than half (42%) of the health facilities had received supervisory visits from the district office 3 months before this assessment. Nine district respondents (69.2%) reported systematically receiving feedback on the quality of their reports monthly and quarterly from higher authorities. Patient load was described to affect staff performance on data collection and management frequently. Conclusion Inadequate analysis and poor data utilisation practices were common in most districts and health facilities in Tanzania. Inadequate human and financial resources, lack of incentives and supervision, and lack of standard operating procedures on data management were the significant challenges affecting the HMIS performance in Tanzania.