MHC said additional KPIs to guide the NRP could include dis-aggregated data by state or district for more targeted decisions, weightages for vulnerable populations, and diverse metrics to provide granularity for decision making. — Bernama file photo
KUCHING (June 20): The Malaysian Health Coalition (MHC) has called for more key performance indicators (KPIs) to guide the National Recovery Plan (NRP) amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to MHC, criteria such as case numbers, intensive care unit (ICU) bed utilisation and vaccination rates are not adequate to capture the complexity of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“These criteria are ‘blunt instruments’ that are highly-dependent on other variables, like testing numbers and vaccine supply. A complex pandemic situation requires sufficient, balanced and nuanced KPIs to accurately measure our progress and performance.
“These KPIs must be independent and scientific, and their methods should be constant and comparable across time,” it said in a statement today.
MHC said additional KPIs to guide the NRP could include dis-aggregated data by state or district for more targeted decisions, weightages for vulnerable populations, and diverse metrics to provide granularity for decision making.
“Examples of diverse metrics include the moving weekly numbers of total active cases, percentage of positive tests over total tests performed (with the World Health Organisation target being less than five per cent), the case fatality rate, the number of health workers affected, and the percentage of successful contact tracing within 24 hours of a positive case.”
MHC said the government decisions should be predictable to improve public and economic confidence instead of being influenced by lobbying, double standards in enforcement or sudden policy U-turns.
As such, it said decisions should be truly data-driven.
“While we note that the government will move from one phase to another depending on the statistics, we believe that a scheduled decision-making timetable is helpful.
“There should also be triggers to return to a higher level of restrictions if the situation worsens,” pointed out MHC.
MHC also urged the government to improve data sharing and transparency to enable effective management of the dynamic pandemic situation.
It asserted that sharing of data can build public trust, enable a robust external review by experts, and foster public-private partnerships.
The large amount of data generated daily must be shared in an easy-to-view manner via a public dashboard online, said MHC.
“Adequate data-sharing across states and districts enable local authorities to tailor pandemic control strategies. With states now allowed to procure vaccines, data-sharing and integration in the National Immunisation Programme can lead to stronger and fairer outcomes.
“We look forward to exit the pandemic in a highly coordinated manner. Therefore, setting the right KPIs, ensuring truly data-driven decisions, and sharing data are crucial for success,” it added.