Wrong maternal mortality figure traced to human error, Minister admits
Responding before lawmakers, Samateh said the error occurred during the retrieval of information from the ministry’s DHIS2 health information platform. “The error arose during the data retrieval process from the DHIS-2 platform leading to inadvertent presentation of the institutional maternal mortality ratio as the total maternal mortality ratio,” the minister said. According to the minister, the wrong variable was used when data was extracted from the system. Instead of using the total maternal mortality figure, the institutional maternal mortality figure was used, resulting in an incorrect ratio being reported. Samateh stressed that the mistake was not caused by the system itself but by an individual handling the data. “Data integrity is very important, and I believe it was a human error in the calculations,” he told the Assembly. The minister explained that the Ministry of Health relies on the internationally recognised DHIS2 platform, where data is entered by qualified personnel and ratios are automatically generated to minimise calculation errors. However, he acknowledged that despite those safeguards, the incorrect figure was passed on and eventually presented to lawmakers. “Unfortunately, it was given to me,” he said, adding that he later personally checked the figures using a calculator before returning to the Assembly. The disclosure sparked further questions from members on the ministry’s quality assurance measures and how similar errors would be prevented in future. Samateh revealed that the official responsible for the mistake was reprimanded along with the wider team involved in the process. “The official was reprimanded, and then the entire team was reprimanded for creating that. We told them it’s not acceptable,” he said. While defending the ministry’s data management system, the minister assured lawmakers that steps are being taken to strengthen oversight and maintain public confidence in maternal health statistics.
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Responding before lawmakers, Samateh said the error occurred during the retrieval of information from the ministry’s DHIS2 health information platform.
“The error arose during the data retrieval process from the DHIS-2 platform leading to inadvertent presentation of the institutional maternal mortality ratio as the total maternal mortality ratio,” the minister said.
According to the minister, the wrong variable was used when data was extracted from the system. Instead of using the total maternal mortality figure, the institutional maternal mortality figure was used, resulting in an incorrect ratio being reported.
Samateh stressed that the mistake was not caused by the system itself but by an individual handling the data.
“Data integrity is very important, and I believe it was a human error in the calculations,” he told the Assembly.
The minister explained that the Ministry of Health relies on the internationally recognised DHIS2 platform, where data is entered by qualified personnel and ratios are automatically generated to minimise calculation errors.
However, he acknowledged that despite those safeguards, the incorrect figure was passed on and eventually presented to lawmakers.
“Unfortunately, it was given to me,” he said, adding that he later personally checked the figures using a calculator before returning to the Assembly.
The disclosure sparked further questions from members on the ministry’s quality assurance measures and how similar errors would be prevented in future.
Samateh revealed that the official responsible for the mistake was reprimanded along with the wider team involved in the process.
“The official was reprimanded, and then the entire team was reprimanded for creating that. We told them it’s not acceptable,” he said.
While defending the ministry’s data management system, the minister assured lawmakers that steps are being taken to strengthen oversight and maintain public confidence in maternal health statistics.
