How We Work

Enhancing, not duplicating

We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, and we’re not starting from scratch. There are already many efforts around the world to strengthen health data. Our role is to build upon existing efforts by establishing a network of technical working groups that will address specific technical issues and identify and fill technical gaps.

The working groups develop standards, indicators and other tools that help countries to collect, analyse and use good health data. At the same time, we work to make sure everyone is pulling in the same direction, to support the health plans and priorities that countries set.

The working groups are time-limited groups of technical experts from partners, countries, academia and civil society that are brought together to work collectively on specific deliverables of the Collaborative’s work plan. This could entail the development and harmonization of standards and tools to strengthen country health information systems and capacities.

Our governance structure

The HDC membership is diverse and, depending on the nature of their contributions, members are organised in seven constituencies: i) Countries, ii) Bilateral Donors, Philanthropic Institutions and Regional Funding Entities, iii) Civil Society, iv) Private Sector, v) Multilateral and Intergovernmental Organisations, vi) Research, Academia and Technical Networks and vii) Global Health Initiatives.

This increases diversity of view-points, technical and financial inputs, geographical perspectives, contexts and gender. To provide strategic guidance and direction to this rich membership composition, HDC governance is structured around a Board of Members, with a mandate to:

• Provide oversight and offer strategic direction to the HDC (i.e., define objectives and scope of work through quarterly meetings);
• Review and approve HDC work plan and budget;
• Assess progress and needed course corrections;
• Identify, assess, and mitigate the key risks that could hamper HDC objectives; and
• Guide strategic allocation of resources (technical, financial and political) within the HDC