ALMA launches new Scorecard Hub to help countries strengthen accountability for action and results

The African Leaders Malaria Alliance – an alliance of Africa’s Heads of State and Government – today announced the launch of the ALMA Scorecard Hub. This exciting new platform provides countries and partners with access to knowledge about scorecard management tools for accountability and action.

The ALMA Scorecard Hub will help deliver the digitisation and real-time data priority as set out in His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy agenda for his two-year term as ALMA chair.

Sharing knowledge and driving accountability with our new ALMA Scorecard Hub

The ALMA Scorecard Hub will help countries learn how they can use scorecard management tools to improve health outcomes, accountability and action. The hub includes:

• a public directory of scorecards shared by African countries
• country best practices highlighting how countries have used scorecard tools for impact
• guides and toolkits to help countries create, analyse and improve scorecard tools
• free and self-paced online courses, developed by experts, on scorecard tools and the Scorecard Web Platform – our online tool to manage scorecards.
• events and webinars to encourage users to share experiences of using scorecards and discover practical advice from other countries
• technical support for ministries of health to request help and guidance with the scorecard management tools

Increasing the impact of scorecard management tools

Scorecard management tools are used in over 40 countries in Africa. The tool helps to track progress on key health indicators to inform and empower health workers, local governments and communities to act.

Between 2012 and 2020, ALMA has supported over 80 national scorecard management tools for:

• malaria
• neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
• reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH)
• nutrition
• community scorecards

The use of the scorecard tool has led to significant action and impact, with countries using real-time data to respond to outbreaks, shortages of staff or commodities and improving quality of care. Scorecard tools have also facilitated increased financing and increased political and multisectoral engagement in health.

With the new Scorecard Hub, ALMA will be able to help more countries introduce new scorecard tools and improve existing ones.

Shaping the future of scorecard management tools across Africa

The ALMA Scorecard Hub was developed with the invaluable guidance and support of a steering committee. The committee includes representation from countries and partner organisations:

• African Union
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)
• Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health
• Ghana’s Ministry of Health
• Kenya’s Ministry of Health
• UNICEF
• World Health Organization

Along with the steering committee, the hub was improved through feedback from a range of users representing ministries of health from:

• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Kenya
• Liberia
• Malawi
• Mali
• Namibia
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• Sudan
• Tanzania
• Togo
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

“The launch of the ALMA Scorecard Hub is an exciting opportunity for countries to publicly share their scorecards and best practices on how they have used the tool to improve health outcomes,” said Joy Phumaphi, executive secretary of ALMA.

The launch of the ALMA Scorecard Hub is a key step in African countries’ efforts to drive accountability to achieve the bold targets set to achieve malaria elimination by 2030 and improve maternal and child health on the continent.