Mapping of national population-based surveys for better reporting of health-related indicators in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Background: Improving the quality of data to generate health-related indicators is important for effective monitoring of progress towards universal health coverage (UHC). In consultation with Member States, stakeholders and experts, World Health Organization (WHO) developed a framework for health information systems and 68 regional core health indicators to support Member States to effectively track health issues. These core health indicators come from two main data sources: routine or institution-based and population-based surveys. The aim of this study is two-fold: to map out population-based surveys that are expected to be conducted to generate data for the health-related indicators including Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 indicators; and to propose a timetable for conducting national population-based surveys in the Region. Methods The study was conducted in six phases: 1) Selecting survey-based indicators; 2) Extracting and comparing relevant survey modules; 3) Identifying sources of data for the indicators; 4) Assessing country status in reporting on core health indicators; 5) Designing survey timetable; and 6) Review and confirmation of the results by the experts. Results Forty-four out of 68 (65%) regional core health indicators and two out of 11 (18%) SDG 3 indicators use data from population-based surveys. The Health Examination Survey (HES) could cover 65% of the survey-based indicators. A suggested 10-year timetable was designed for conducting national population-based surveys for the countries in the Region. Conclusions We have proposed an optimum timetable for conducting national population-based surveys that can be modified depending on the local context, technical expertise and available resources. To reliably report on all the core health indicators, each country could devise a timetable for population-based surveys by considering several factors such as national health priorities, financial and human capacities, and previous experiences.