Health information sharing between the public and private sectors during Covid in Zambia

Abstract

Information sharing between the public and private sectors of the health system is essential to decision-making during shocks, and understanding the process between sectors can provide information on the health system’s ability to utilize knowledge. The aim of this study was to analyze the process of capturing and registering Covid-19 test information from public and private facilities in Zambia for use in disease surveillance and monitoring. Process mapping was done through document review, key informant interviews, and a workshop to generate information on the process and its challenges. Three pathways for data capture and registration with seven stakeholder groups were identified: tests conducted, test results, and the DHIS2 tracker. The process for sharing information between the public and private sectors was active and functioning, but challenged by fragmentation, limited resources and ownership, and difficulty governing multiple pathways and uses. Unique public-private challenges included an underdefined role for the private sector in public health emergencies and a lack of integration and governance of the private sector in extraordinary circumstances. The findings suggest that implementing a new reporting process for the private sector during a public health crisis was an internal shock itself, which implies that information sharing for decision-making during crises could be improved by engaging and integrating the private sector into emergency preparedness prior to the moment of crisis.