In a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening Uganda’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system, the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) took part in a five-day in-country capacity-building workshop. Held from the 5th to the 9th of August 2024, the workshop was part of a broader effort by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) under its African Centre for Statistics (ACS) to support the development and modernization of CRVS systems across Africa.

The workshop was designed to introduce Uganda to a new CRVS R programming pipeline. This innovative tool aims to streamline the production of vital statistics reports by enabling users to clean, process, and analyze CRVS data more effectively. Participants included representatives from key government agencies involved in CRVS data production, namely the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), and NIRA.

This training is part of UNECA’s broader initiative to develop capacity across Africa, building on the recommendations from key sessions and conferences held in recent years. The goal is to enable African countries to produce accurate and timely vital statistics that are crucial for public health planning and policymaking.

During the workshop, participants were introduced to the fundamentals of R programming (programming language for statistical computing and data visualization), with a focus on applying these skills to CRVS data. They engaged in hands-on sessions using anonymized datasets from NIRA and URSB, learning best practices in data management, including techniques for improving data quality, completeness, and accuracy. The training also featured an in-depth session on the CRVS vital statistics report template, guiding participants on how to structure and present their findings effectively.

The workshop not only enhanced technical skills but also fostered greater collaboration between the participating agencies. By working together, these agencies aim to overcome challenges such as missing variables and inconsistent data, which have historically hindered the production of comprehensive vital statistics reports in Uganda.

Meanwhile, the Chief, Demographic and Social Statistics, African Centre for Statistics, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Mr. William Muhwava paid a courtesy call to the Executive Director Ms. Rosemary Kisembo at Kololo. During the brief meeting, the Executive Director of NIRA, emphasized the importance of a coordinated approach to CRVS activities. She highlighted the need for stronger integration of efforts across government departments and development partners, calling for a “single source of truth” in the management of national data.

Looking ahead, NIRA and its partners are committed to continuing the momentum from this workshop. Further training and collaboration are planned to ensure that Uganda’s CRVS system can meet the highest standards of data quality and reliability. This initiative represents a significant step forward in the country’s ability to produce vital statistics that can inform better decision-making and public health interventions.