Data in Action

Making informed decisions helps CDC and our partners plan vaccination campaigns, make sure enough vaccine is available, and reach all children with life-saving vaccines. When we take data and add context, we turn it into information we can use to improve public health. This is data in action. Data becomes information, which gives us understanding, increases our knowledge, and enables us to make decisions based in scientific evidence.

Immunization programs need correct and timely data to make effective decisions.

Why it Matters

Imagine you have to decide if you could afford to make a major purchase. Now imagine if you had no idea about how much money you have in your checking account or how much you’ve spent. The best you can do is guess. In order to balance your checkbook and make your purchase, you need accurate information (data). In the same way, immunization programs need accurate and timely data to make effective programmatic decisions.

Read our field study about how CDC improved data quality and fostered country ownership of data systems in the Democratic Republic of Congo.