Using spatial analysis and GIS to improve planning and resource allocation in a rural district of Bangladesh

Abstract

The application of a geographic information system (GIS) in public health is relatively common in Bangladesh. However, the use of GIS for planning, monitoring and decision-making by local-level managers has not been well documented. This assessment explored how effectively local government health managers used maps with spatial data for planning, resource allocation and programme monitoring. The United States Agency for International Development-funded MaMoni Health Systems Strengthening project supported the introduction of the maps into district planning processes in 2015 and 2016. GIS maps were used to support the prioritisation of underserved unions (the lowest administrative units) and clusters of disadvantaged communities for the allocation of funds. Additional resources from local government budgets were allocated to the lowest performing unions for improving health facility service readiness and supervision. Using a mixed-methods approach, the project evaluated the outputs of this planning process. District planning reports, population-based surveys, local government annual expenditure reports and service availability and utilisation data were reviewed. The goal was to determine the degree to which district planning teams were able to use the maps for their intended purpose. Key informant interviews were conducted with upazila (subdistrict) managers, elected government representatives and service providers to understand how the maps were used, as well as to identify potential institutionalisation scopes. The project observed improvements in health service availability and utilisation in the highest priority unions in 2016. Quick processing of maps during planning sessions was challenging. Nevertheless, managers and participants expressed their satisfaction with the use of spatial analysis, and there was an expressed need for more web-based GIS both for improving community-level service delivery and for reviewing performance in monthly meetings. Despite some limitations, the use of GIS maps helped local health managers identify health service gaps, prioritise underserved unions and monitor results.

Spatial trends and projections of chronic malnutrition among children under 5 years of age in Ethiopia from 2011 to 2019: a geographically weighted regression analysis

“…Mapping the trend and variation of chronic malnutrition among children under the age of five can aid in strengthening programs for allocating limited resources to districts with high healthcare needs [ 15 – 17 ]. To reach the goal of ending all forms of malnutrition as a public health threat by 2030 [ 5 , 10 , 11 ], it is critical to understand the epidemiology of under-five stunting and disparities in a region-specific manner and appropriately target high-risk populations in Ethiopia.…”

“…The present literature indicates that examining the spatial distribution of childhood chronic malnutrition in Ethiopia at the district level is necessary. The spatial predictors of stunting include factors from the previous literature [ 4 , 17 , 18 , 26 , 32 ], particularly UNICEF's general conceptual framework for causes of malnutrition [ 33 ] and the Lancet Nutrition Series [ 34 ].…”

Integration of multiple geospatial applications and intelligence for responding to COVID-19 in Ghana

“…In other settings, GIS has been used to collect data for decision making in different areas, even in outbreaks and COVID-19. [20][21][22][23][24][25] An advantage of using the ArcGIS application is the data repository available as the ArcGIS Online. This made the real-time visualisation of data submitted with the ArcGIS collector possible.…”

National and subnational estimates of coverage and travel time to emergency obstetric care in Afghanistan: Modeling of spatial accessibility

“…Linking spatial, HMIS and EmOC data provides decision-makers with a powerful tool for monitoring and planning as they seek to strengthen the health care system in Afghanistan as it has in other countries. In Bangladesh, spatial data and maps identify clusters of underserved areas in maternal and child health care, advocate for reallocation of resources to address service gaps, and monitor progress (Robin et al, 2019). Spatial data has also been used to analyze the efficiency and equity of travel time to hospitals in four Sub-Saharan Africa countries.…”