Evaluation of the health information system for monitoring and evaluating the voluntary medical male circumcision program in Mozambique, 2013-2019

Introduction: the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Mozambique has increased from 11.5% in 2009 to 13.2% in 2015. The Mozambique Ministry of Health (MOH) developed a 5-year strategy (2013-2017) for male voluntary medical circumcision (VMMC) to increase in the provinces where there is the greatest number of HIV. We aimed to evaluate the health information system for monitoring and evaluating VMMC in Mozambique from 2013-2019.

Methods: we reviewed the records of the National Health Information System for Monitoring and Evaluation (SIS-MA) database for VMMC of the MOH. The evaluation was based on the updated guidelines for the evaluation of public health surveillance systems of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Results: the coverage rate for VMMC in Mozambique in the period under study was (89%) (1,784,335/2,000,000). The system was expected to circumcise for the year 2019 (162,052) and 390,590 was reached, exceeding the target 241.0% (390,590/162,052). Of the total number of men circumcised, 0.7% (12,391/1,784,335) were HIV-positive (previously tested) and 0.4% (6,382/1,784,335) had a record of adverse events in the period under review (2013-2019). Zambézia Province had the highest VMMC coverage (in numbers) at 16.0% (396,876/2,476,395) while Maputo City had the least 19.7% (107,104/543,096). The system was able to operate both online and offline and continue functioning with introducing new changes (e.g. the new male circumcision complication reporting).

Conclusion: the system was representative, flexible, simple, with good data quality and low acceptability. We recommended continuous and routine entry of quality data into the system, guide organizations for improved functioning.