Building a National Model for Knowledge Exchange in Malawi: Findings From a Health Information Needs Assessment

Abstract

Getting the right information into the right hands at the right time is a challenge for many health systems in developing countries. Health workers need access to reliable and up-to-date health information in order to support their clients. This health information needs assessment, conducted in the capital city and 3 districts of Malawi from July 2009 to September 2009, aimed to determine access to, and need for, health information in HIV/AIDS and family planning/reproductive health at all levels of the health system. Using qualitative research methods, the study showed the need to (a) build the capacity of government technical working groups to collect and store information and to promote information exchange at all levels of the health system; (b) improve information synthesis and packaging, particularly for users at peripheral levels; (c) strengthen the district level to serve as an information hub for district- and community-level providers; and (d) explore mobile technologies to increase provider access to knowledge and information.

Acknowledgment

The authors thank the Knowledge for Health (K4Health) project for providing financial and technical support for this needs assessment. Tara Sullivan and Vanessa Mitchell from The Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs provided overall guidance for the country-level needs assessments. Technical staff at Management Sciences for Health and FHI 360 provided input on the study design. Management Sciences for Health conducted this study with support from its Malawi field office. Co-author Piers Bocock (formerly Knowledge Exchange Director at Management Sciences for Health) traveled to Malawi to organize the assessment and participate in the selection of interviewees and he provided strategic guidance to the study upon his return. Simon Sikwase (independent consultant) conducted the data collection and analysis, and summarized the findings of the assessment. Co-author Nancy LeMay managed the study and provided technical input on the study design, topic guides, data analysis, and write-up. Xavier Alterescu provided overall project oversight. Willow Gerber and Natalie Campbell provided insights on knowledge management and a critical review of this publication. Full support for this study was provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development, Bureau for Global Health, Office of Population and Reproductive Health through the K4Health project, Cooperative Agreement No. GPO-A-00-08-00006-00. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Agency for International Development, Management Sciences for Health, or the K4Health project.