Assessing immunization data quality from routine reports in Mozambique.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide immunization coverage shows an increase in the past years but the validity of the official reports for measuring change over time has been questioned. Facing this problem- donor supported initiatives like the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunizations- have been putting a lot of effort into assessing the quality of data used- since accurate immunization information is essential for the Expanded Program on Immunization managers to track and improve program performance. The present article- discusses the practices on record keeping- reporting and the support mechanism to ensure data quality in Mozambique. METHODS: A process evaluation study was carried out in Mozambique in one district (Cuamba) in Niassa Province- between January and March 2003. The study was based on semi-structured interviews- participant observation and review of the data collection materials. RESULTS: Differences were found for all vaccine types when comparing facility reports with the tally sheets. The same applies