A public policy doctoral candidate says Samoa's health sector needs a better information system to combat non-communicable diseases.
Health and NCDs will be discussed in one of six sessions at the Small Island Developing States conference in Apia this September.
A doctoral candidate at the Auckland University of Technology, Odette Frost-Kruse, is researching aid policies in Samoa's health sector and says data collection and collation are essential for the country to track its progress.
"There's a need to develop information systems from collection to analysis from across the health sectors involved and also to teach health professionals how to use these information systems and then be able to report to government about the progress within the NCDs area"
Odette Frost-Kruse says an information system is expensive and financial support is necessary to develop and maintain it.
