Bahrain is positioning itself as a regional leader in health data modernisation, emphasising transparency and alignment with global benchmarks, as it gears up for a new round of its National Health Survey (NHS).
The country hosted a World Health Organisation (WHO)-led workshop recently to strengthen its NHS capabilities.
The four-day event, aimed at enhancing Bahrain’s capacity to collect and analyse national health data, was held at the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) headquarters in Isa Town.
It provided critical training to members of the NHS committee and experts from the Health Ministry and iGA on sampling methodology, data cleaning, and questionnaire mapping to ensure Bahrain’s data is reliable and comparable with global standards.
The initiative, a collaboration between WHO, the Health Ministry and iGA, also trained participants in managing data using WHO’s World Health Survey Plus (WHS+) methodology.
“Capturing high-quality, standardised health data is not just about statistics; it is about building the foundations for better health outcomes,” said Dr Samya Bahram, assistant under-secretary for public health and NHS committee chairwoman.
“This data enables evidence-informed policy-making and strategic planning to enhance public health and optimise the use of national resources.”
Bahrain is currently in the process of conducting a new round of its National Health Survey, the first since 2018.
The WHS+ platform supports the generation of accurate health indicators aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
By adopting WHS+ tools, Bahrain ensures its national data aligns with international frameworks and can be meaningfully compared across countries.
The workshop also addressed the adaptation and translation of WHS+ instruments into Arabic, making Bahrain a key contributor to regional efforts under WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO).
“This collaboration strengthens our region’s ability to collect harmonised health data,” said Dr Eman Aly, technical officer for health information and statistics at WHO EMRO.
“Bahrain’s work in translating WHS+ tools and piloting their use provides a valuable reference point for other countries.”
WHO also provided technical support in developing the survey proposal and training iGA staff on data modules and indicator tracking.
“This level of capacity-building is crucial for ensuring data quality,” said Dr Aly. “From the questionnaire design to post-collection cleaning, every stage of the survey process affects the reliability of the final indicators.”
The workshop concluded with a meeting between Dr Bahram and Dr Aly to review progress and discuss next steps in NHS implementation.
The meeting reflected the shared commitment between Bahrain and WHO to enhance national health systems through robust data infrastructure.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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