Improving public health information: a data quality intervention in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Reliable and accurate public health information is essential for monitoring health and for evaluating and improving the delivery of health-care services and programmes.1–4 As countries report their progress towards achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, the need for high-quality data has never been greater.5,6 Furthermore, funding and support for public health activities, such as immunization programmes, remain contingent on demonstrating coverage using routine statistics.7 However, assuring the quality of health information systems remains a challenge.