UNDP’s ACTION project has developed a monitoring and evaluation application to collect detailed data on health facilities' preparedness for receiving and treating COVID19 patients. From the beginning of COVID19 pandemic in March 2020, the need for up-to-date information has been crucial. This M&E application can track available COVID-19 resources throughout the country’s health facilities. It links in real-time into a database that will then feed a website enabling the public and stakeholders to access the information.

Collecting real-time data requires an application to monitor COVID-19 resources throughout Afghanistan’s 1500 health facilities. This application can be used as a web-based interface where real-time data can be visualized through different dashboards. Also, the application can be installed on mobiles for accessible data collection. Replicating and adapting this approach to the emerging context, the project collected COVID-19 data related to basic medicine reserves at the health facility level in early January 2021.

The initial dashboards were prepared and displayed on the www.covid19.af website. Important information was made available, such as the health facilities’ oxygen supply; protection equipment or antipyretics reserves. The  dashboards also indicated requirements regarding  selective entry for patients with COVID-19 symptoms.

This application is composed of a web interface and a mobile app that can be used to carry out different surveys targeting health facilities services and resources. This M&E tool allows UNDP to grow this as a monitoring base.  It can be utilized for  other health issues; for developing more complex monitoring operations, and to include third parties monitoring inputs actively.

The data collected are updated live on dashboards. The mobile app for data-collection enables complementary sources of information, such as health facility managers; MOPH monitoring teams; third-party monitors from civil society or UNDP staff, to enter their input on specific issues. The mobile app for data collection has been adapted to the Afghan context. It can work offline to compensate for inadequate Internet availability. Initially, over a thousand health facilities were mapped and identified across Afghanistan. ACTION project grantees have been collecting monthly data from target health facilities.

The initiative increases the transparency and accountability of public services and aid delivery. It provides very granular data over time and can contribute to measuring health facilities’ outcomes and progress towards SDGs at district, provincial or national levels.

The Afghanistan Anti-Corruption, Transparency, Integrity and Openness (ACTION) Project is funded by Denmark and is supporting both an institutional (supply) and civilian engagement (demand) sides to increase public trust in and transparency of Afghan Security and Justice institutions. On the government institutions, the project will focus its support to the flagship initiative of the government to combat corruption, namely the Anti-Corruption Justice Center (ACJC) to enhance their capacity to address high-level corruption cases