ACROSS SECTIONAL STUDY ON THE DEVELOPING A FRAME WORK FOR MONITORING AND EVALUATING DIGITAL HEALTH INITIATIVES IN UGANDA’S MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Background: Uganda's Ministry of Health (MoH) has embraced the potential of digital health, evidenced by the proliferation of eHealth platforms, electronic medical records (EMRs), and mobile health (mHealth) tools in both public and private healthcare settings. This study developed a framework for monitoring and evaluating Digital Health initiatives in Uganda’s Ministry of Health. Methods: This study employed a quantitative research design to investigate the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) landscape of digital health initiatives within Uganda's Ministry of Health (MoH). Quantitative methods were chosen for their ability to produce generalisable findings and provide measurable insights into perceptions, practices, and gaps in M&E systems (Bryman, 2016). The study focused on three key categories of participants. These included policymakers and technical advisors at the MoH, representatives from donor agencies and implementing partners involved in digital health, and healthcare providers who regularly interact with digital health tools at facility level. Participants were selected through purposive sampling based on their direct involvement and expertise in digital health implementation and oversight (Patton, 2015). Data collection was carried out using a structured survey administered through Google Forms. The survey was designed to be accessible online, allowing participants from different departments and locations to respond conveniently. Results: The study reported that Digital technologies have transformed healthcare systems across the globe, offering new opportunities for improved health services delivery, data management, and decision-making. However, despite significant investments and donor support, the country faces persistent challenges in measuring the effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability of these digital interventions. The study recommended developing aunified, modular M&E framework, institutionalizing stakeholder co-designs, strengthening capacity through tiered training, investing infrastructure and Offline tools and securing a sustainable financing among others. Conclusion: Uganda’s digital health M&E ecosystem has evolved significantly, supported by frameworks such as the HSDP III and DHIS2. However, implementation is hindered by limited capacity, unclear guidelines, and fragmentation. The findings demonstrate a clear need for an integrated and flexible M&E framework that is both standardised at the national level and adaptable to local contexts. Stakeholders are willing to engage, and technologies already exist that can bridge current gaps if properly coordinated and funded.