Situation Analysis

Aalaa Mahmoud, Group A

 Problem
• The governorate (X) health team needs to prepare for a
strategic health plan for the governorate in view of the
national strategic health plan, yet it should meet the local
health needs.
• To do this, they should first understand the local situation
better by doing situational analysis depending on not only the
data collected from healthcare units and hospitals, but also
information and participation from various parties, patients,
and the community.

“what gets measured, gets done”

 Situation Analysis

WHO defines a health-specific situation analysis as:

“an assessment of the current health situation … [that] is

fundamental to designing and updating national policies,
strategies and plans”
 Situation Analysis
Objectives:

• To realistically assess the current health sector situation, with all its strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats, including their root causes and effects.

• To provide an evidence-informed basis for responding to health sector needs and

expectations of the population.

• To provide an evidence-informed basis for formulating future strategic directions

for the health sector.
 Steps

• Step 1: Determine a framework

• Step 2: Collect the required information
• Step 3: Compile and write the report
• Step 4: Dissemination of situation analysis results
 Framework for a Situational Analysis

1. General Assessment of the Governorate

• Geography (simplified maps showing districts, towns and villages with health
facilities locations)
• Demography (size, location, composition, age and gender breakdown of the
population)
• Socio-economic profile (Education, economic activities, average household
income, employment and unemployment figures, housing conditions, provision of
basic services: water, electricity, sewage and sanitation, telecommunication
services ….)
2. Health Status and Needs Assessment
• Population health surveys
• National health information system data, health indicators.
• Health statistics report, epidemiological surveillance
• Research/Evaluation studies
 Framework for a Situational Analysis

3. Health Facilities assessments:

• Service Availability Readiness Assessment (SARA)
• Customer satisfaction surveys
➢ Public Health Sector Services
• Primary care units
• Hospitals
• Referral system
➢ Other Health Care Providers Services
• Private sector
• NGO sector
 Framework for a Situational Analysis

4. Assessment of Key Programs

• Family Planning Program
• Immunization
• Breast feeding, Nutrition & growth monitoring
• Chronic diseases
5. The Management systems which support the provision of health services:
• Infrastructure
• Financial Management
• Supply Chain
• Health Information
• Human Resources
 Data Collection

Two different types of data:

1. Quantitative data: Numbers, census figures, statistics, epidemiological information
2. Qualitative data: Opinions, perceptions and experiences of people.

• Example:
Quantitative data may show a low immunization coverage rate,
Qualitative data determine people’s attitudes and opinions about immunization.

• Both together give information and useful insights for planning and management.
 Data Collection

Sources of Data:

• Internally generated data:

From routine health information systems, healthcare units and hospitals.
Disadvantages:
• Accuracy, timeliness, may be biased, requires well-functioning health information
system.

• Externally generated data:

Surveys, interview and/or observation
Disadvantages:
Does not provide statistically valid data that may be useful for managers
 Data Collection

Dimensions of data quality:

• Accessibility to the data:
✓ Can I find the data I need easily?
• Output quality:
✓ Relevance: Do the data measure what I need/ what they say they do?
✓ Accuracy: Completeness, Precision, Reliability, Consistency
✓ Timeliness: Time since reference, Punctuality, Frequency
✓ Interpretability: Do the data make sense?
• Process quality:
✓ Appropriate sources, Ethical data practice, Sustainability.
• Institutional quality:
✓ Impartiality, objectivity and transparency.
 Report writing & Dissemination of results

• Summary of the situation analysis should be written, with

illustrations and graphs where necessary.
• It should clearly highlight the principal challenges, most
important and urgent health problems and trends, major
issues of debate, possible solutions and reasoning.
• Communicating the key findings of the situation analysis with
all stakeholders.
 Concolusion

• A situation analysis helps to provide an evidence-informed basis for the

local strategic directions to respond to real health sector needs of the
population.

• It should feed directly into the priority-setting process, as it is the

knowledge base for health challenges, potential solutions.

• A health sector situation analysis is a crucial step in the health policy and
planning cycle, understanding the root causes and effects will help lead to
finding longer-term sustainable solutions .
 References

1. Schmets, Gerard. (2017). Strategizing national health in the 21st century:

a handbook.
2. McCoy, David & Bamford, Lesley. (1998). How to Conduct a Rapid
Situation Analysis: A guide for Health Districts in South Africa.
3. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Division of Data, Analytics,
Planning and Monitoring, (2021). Data quality framework.