The influence of council leaders on the use of health data in improving health service delivery in Tanzania
Loading...
Files
Date
2023-10-24
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tanzania Journal of Community Development
Abstract
Little is known on the extent to which council political leaders influence the use of health data for improving health service delivery. This paper aimed to examine factors that influence councillors to use health data to improve health service delivery in selected council hospitals. A cross-sectional study design was conducted in six regions that involved twelve wards where council hospitals located. Interview guide was used to obtain information from 12 ward councillors. Thematic manual data analysis was done to extract essential information. The study revealed that only minority of councillors were irregularly invited to participate in the council hospital plans and approval of budget allocation. Some of them occasionally attend quarterly hospital governing committee meetings. Moreover, some of them conducted the promotion of health data use without recommended communication tools. Besides, they hardly requested health statistics from council hospital to assist them with decision making. It is concluded that health service is relative poor because councillors hardly use health data to informed planning and decision making. The study recommends that the Ministry of President Office Regional Administrative and Local Government Authority should restructure the composition of council Hospital Governing Committees to include councillors to deliberate matters of health service delivery issues.
Description
Journal article
Keywords
Political leaders influence, Councillors, Health data use, Improvement of health service delivery, Council hospitals, Tanzania