Nineteen Countries Finish Health Data Assessments
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Western Pacific Regional Office announced that 19 countries have completed full evaluations of their national health information systems. This achievement covers 99% of the region’s population, surpassing the original goal of 15 nations by 2025. The milestone underscores the region’s growing commitment to strengthening health intelligence and ensuring equitable access to healthcare.
The assessments were conducted by the WHO’s Health Information and Digital Health Unit, which oversees data modernization efforts across the region. The goal is to provide member states with actionable insights to enhance surveillance, policy-making, and overall public health performance. This success highlights the importance of coordinated data governance in building resilient global health systems.
Source: WHO
SCORE Framework Helps with Systematic Health Evaluation
The regional initiative uses the WHO’s SCORE for Health Data package to assess national health information systems. SCORE stands for Survey, Count, Optimize, Review, and Enable—five pillars of comprehensive data development. Each component helps countries evaluate their capacity to collect, manage, and integrate health data into national policies.
The methodology combines analytical tools, technical resources, and guided implementation to identify weaknesses in existing systems. By applying this structured approach, countries can better monitor trends and respond swiftly to emerging health challenges. These assessments serve as the foundation for evidence-based policy design and improved program efficiency.
Regional Vision Aligns with Global Health Strategies
The SCORE evaluations align with the WHO Regional Vision for 2025–2029, titled Weaving Health for Families, Communities, and Societies. This vision emphasizes innovation, technology, and data-driven governance as central elements in advancing health equity across all member states. It also supports the WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work (2025–2028).
During multi-country strategy sessions, member states reaffirmed the SCORE initiative as a top regional priority. The assessments contribute directly to measurable progress on the Sustainable Development Goals and regional health benchmarks. By surpassing its initial targets, the Western Pacific Region has positioned itself as a global leader in digital public health transformation.
Recommended Article: Prabowo Boosts Indonesia’s Global Reach via Health and Tech
Strong Progress in Review and Count Interventions
The Review and Count components of the SCORE framework have achieved particularly strong outcomes. Over two-thirds of participating countries now operate improved civil registration and vital statistics systems. Enhanced birth and death registration has strengthened demographic data reliability for planning and decision-making.
Many nations also report that institutionalized reporting systems have boosted analytical capabilities. Regular performance reviews have improved accountability and enabled continuous health monitoring. However, several countries still face challenges in expanding medical certification coverage for causes of death, limiting full epidemiological insight.
Mixed Results in Survey Implementation
The Survey intervention, which relies on population-based data collection, has seen uneven success across the region. While surveillance systems remain robust, logistical and technological barriers continue to affect national survey and census operations in some countries. These limitations hinder comprehensive monitoring of health-related Sustainable Development Goals.
WHO experts emphasize that regular, high-quality survey data are essential for identifying inequities and emerging risks. Addressing these challenges requires stronger national coordination, increased data financing, and enhanced statistical training. Sustained support from international partners will be crucial to overcoming persistent implementation barriers.
Significant Gaps in Optimize and Enable Areas
Countries in the Western Pacific Region continue to face difficulties in routine service data integration and governance. Under the Optimize component, fragmented health records, workforce databases, and financing systems impede unified performance tracking. These gaps restrict visibility into resource allocation and service quality.
The Enable component revealed that two-thirds of countries still struggle with policy, governance, and digital infrastructure weaknesses. Gaps in legislation and system interoperability hinder the use of health data for evidence-based decision-making. Bridging these divides will require deeper collaboration between governments and development partners, along with targeted investment in health data infrastructure.
Ongoing Support and Regional Goals for 2029
The WHO Health Information and Digital Health Unit continues to support countries through advisory missions and technical consultations. Regional workshops have been held to validate findings and align national strategies for health information improvement. Governments are now developing measurable roadmaps for system enhancement based on these results.
More nations are expected to adopt the SCORE framework in 2026 and subsequent years. The regional goal is for all member states to complete assessments and raise their SCORE index by 2029. Supported by the Gates Family Foundation, these initiatives demonstrate the region’s commitment to building smarter, data-driven health systems for a healthier and more resilient future.
