Early Lessons From Ethiopia in Establishing a Data Triangulation Process to Analyze Immunization Program and Supply Data for Decision Making

Key Findings from the experience

- Health managers who reviewed data by using the data triangulation tool reported clear benefits, including more accessible and synthesized data. This prompted decision making and meaningful actions to improve immunization services, such as expanding the number of immunization sites.

- Additional effort was required initially to improve the availability of vaccine supply data to fully leverage triangulated data. Over time, health managers could operate the tool on their own and lead the meeting and data review process.

Key Implications

- More research and documentation are needed to further understand what regular, practical data triangulation processes can look like for Expanded Programmes on Immunization (EPIs) and how data triangulation processes contribute to better programmatic decision making and better data quality.

- EPI managers interested in incorporating data triangulation analyses into their current data review systems will need to determine practical, feasible means to operationalize regular use of triangulated data at the subnational level. When doing so, the process should be designed through a collaborative process with users, including an initial training followed by iterative support on a routine basis, embedding of implementation research, and a collaborative process to work with users to address barriers or challenges.