NEW research spanning Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic has revealed that gaps in the collection and use of newborn and stillbirth data are weakening efforts to improve maternal and neonatal health across the region.

The study conducted under an improving quality and use of newborn measures project whose findings were recently published in the Journal of Global Health, highlight that reliable, timely and usable data is critical for preventing avoidable deaths, yet many low- and middle-income countries struggle with routine data collection, management and use, lead researchers noted.

Researchers assessed routine health information systems in health facilities across the four countries, evaluating staff capacity, data quality, system functionality and governance. Their findings suggest that newborn and stillbirth data are not just records of outcomes—they indicate whether health systems are delivering quality care.

“Accurate and timely information enables policymakers, health managers and frontline workers to identify gaps, track progress and design effective interventions,” the study notes, asserting that without trustworthy data, improvements in maternal and newborn health are unhinged.

The research identifies multiple challenges as health workers can enter and report data but many lack skills to analyze, interpret and use such data for decision-making, particularly in rural and lower-level facilities. Staff shortages, limited training and inconsistent supervision contribute to errors and incomplete reporting, undermining electronic health information systems, the study summary affirms.

The project also found that data quality is inconsistent, with many facilities producing incomplete, inaccurate, or contradictory newborn and stillbirth data. Although electronic data bits on the subject are accessible, functionality varies widely, while advanced features like data integration and disaggregation are often underutilized. The Central African Republic was highlighted as lagging behind its neighbors in that respect, they said.

 “Technology helps, but it is not enough. Effective governance, supervision and management practices are equally crucial. Limited funding, weak feedback mechanisms and insufficient training persist across facilities and countries,’ it explained.

Researchers recommend tailored interventions to strengthen staff skills, optimize electronic compact data functionality and improve governance at all levels of health systems. The studies emphasize integrated solutions, as people, technology, data and management are interconnected, where weakness in any area can compromise the entire system.

Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda generally performed better than the Central African Republic, highlighting the importance of context-specific strategies, especially for rural and peripheral health facilities that require additional support, the summary note says..

The research involved Tanzanian scientists from the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), including Donat Shamba and Jacqueline Minja, alongside collaborators from CUAMM Doctors with Africa, the Institute for Maternal and Child Health in Italy, Makerere University, the University of Oslo, the University of Trieste and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The findings provide a practical roadmap for strengthening health information systems, ensuring that every newborn is counted, while improving survival and care quality across diverse African settings, it added.