[Health workers' involvement for data quality improvement in Benin]. / Implication des agents de santé dans la conception des outils de collecte de données au Bénin.

OBJECTIVE: In developing countries, the poor quality of data derived from Health Information Systems constitutes a problem that limits use of these data and contributes to the recurrent difficulties of health system management. The low level of involvement of health workers directly responsible for data may contribute to this poor quality. This study documents a Health Information System collection tool design experience by health workers and assesses its effect on data quality. METHODS: Eighty health workers responsible for clinical statistics in public health centres participated in this study. The two tools used for clinical data collection were modified by a group of 6 volunteer health workers. Monitoring indicators, data entry time, percentage exhaustiveness and quality of data were assessed before and after using the new tools. Data were compared by Wilcoxon's test for paired data and Mc Nemar's chi-square test. RESULTS: Between the two assessments, the data entry time increased from 28.7 to 22.5 seconds by reported case (p=0.153), the exhaustiveness of the reports increased from 16% to 89% (p<0.001) and the proportion of reports with sufficient data quality increased from 18.8% to 45.8% (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: The positive course of the indicators shows that increased involvement of health workers in key stages such as the design of data collection tools can help improve data quality.

[Reorganization of the provincial health system in the Democratic Republic of the Congo]. / Réforme des structures intermédiaires de santé en République démocratique du Congo.

INTRODUCTION: In the framework of implementation of health system reform in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and in a context of decentralization dictated by the National Constitution, this study presents the process and results obtained in terms of the provincial level of health care organization in DRC. METHODS: A two-year multidisciplinary interventional research protocol was elaborated with two phases and 9 steps including organizational analysis, team building, and organizational learning. It resulted in transformational actions and improved knowledge, allowing the development of an innovative organizational model of the intermediate level of the health care system in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. RESULTS: This interventional research gave rise to function plans set up by the provincial health division (PHD) in order to develop a more participative management and to compensate for the weaknesses of the current structural organization. Experts provided support to PHD for implementation of a new structure in order to institutionalize this new participative management. The new organizational structure of the PHD is based on 4 professions: i) health district support; ii) control and inspection; iii) information, communication and research and iv) resources management. PHD and experts defined these professions and described the required skills. RESULTS were integrated into the new national health plan. CONCLUSIONS: Apart from the concrete results obtained, two major challenges need to be addressed: i) support the transformation of PHD from the current situation to the new model and ii) extend this new model to the other provinces, according to the same participative approach, a necessary condition to adjust the organization flow-chart to the context.