Information is the only block among the six health systems building blocks that comprehensively describes the other five blocks of health service delivery, workforce, financing, medicine and technology and governance (WHO 2007). Health management information systems (HMIS) help policy makers develop evidence-based policies and health care providers to achieve the overall health system goal of equity, efficiency and quality. Among stakeholders, few have doubts on the importance of HMIS, but many have enormous doubts on how to create an efficient HMIS architecture.

The scope of this policy brief is to highlight the important issues that need to be addressed when developing a roadmap for achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and the health-related sustainable development goals (SDGs) through strengthening primary health care (PHC) systems.