Developing indicators for assessing health programmes

Developing strategies, including reliable health indicators, to monitor the progress and evaluate the effectiveness of health programmes.

Monitoring should be an integral part of target-setting and programme development. The key criteria and performance indicators to be used for monitoring and evaluating the national system should be selected and developed by consensus among the major stakeholders. The national policy, as well as progress in implementation of the strategic action plans, should be evaluated on a regular basis. Schemes for auditing should be developed in order to verify the functioning of national or local systems.

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities.